Loved and Lost
by KashinaKairi
Summary: Ukitake Jushiro has known he was dying since he was a boy, but now he has a set amount of time left. What happens when the weakened Taichou is sent to the World of the Living to monitor a human with an unusually high Reiatsu? Who is this mysterious girl? How can she make the pain he feels go away? Not related to any of my other stories. Takes place after Aizen leaves Seireitei.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Bleach.

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~4th squad hospital~

A white haired man sat on the edge of a bed with crisp white sheets. The room was bare and the atmosphere heavy. He was waiting, waiting to find out how long he had left to live.

A woman with hair braided in front of her walked into the room. Her expression was solemn and her eyes had a bit of a shine to them. She didn't know how to tell her friend the news.

"Just tell me, Retsu-sempai." Jushiro Ukitake had known his illness would kill him eventually. He just didn't think it would be this soon.

"I've tried to predict how long you had left before. It was never consistent, but this time...it is." Unahana looked down at the folder in her hands. In it were the results of 20 different tests she had done to determine if it was accurate, and all of them said the same thing. "You have about a month, two at best."

"So I won't even make it to the beginning of the war." Jushiro sighed as he got off of the bed. He walked to the door with his shoulders slouched a bit. He placed a hand on the woman's shoulder as he passed her. "Thank you, Retsu-sempai."

Jushiro left the hospital and walked straight back to his barracks. He sat on the porch out side his barrack and watched the wind send ripples across the pond. He breathed in the fresh air and tried to come to terms with the diagnosis he had recieved.

"Why the heavy atmosphere, Juu-chan?" Jushiro looked up to see his long time friend, Kyoraku Shunsui, standing beside him.

"I just came back from seeing Retsu-sempai." Jushiro got up and went into his barrack to make himself some tea.

Shunsui sat down outside o the porch and pulled out his sake bottle. "So what is the prognosis this time?" Shunsui knew his friend hadn't gotten a definite answer yet, and he wasn't expecting one to ever come.

Jushiro walked outside and sat down with his cup of tea. "Two months at best."

A silence spread over the two friends. Neither of them spoke a word. Both of them were thinking about what that meant to each of them.

Jushiro went to speak to Shunsui, but found a hell butterfly going between them. He caught it on his hand and listened to it's message. He sighed and stood up as the butterfly flew away. "Come on. We have a meeting to get to."

Shunsui put down his sake bottle and placed an arm on his friend's shoulder. "We're probably already late. So why rush?"

Jushiro sighed at his friend. "Just because you're used to being the last to show up, doesn't mean I am okay with that." Jushiro shunpoed towards 1st squad. He didn't speak a word to Shunsui as they walked towards the meeting hall.

To Jushiro's amazement, they weren't the last ones there. He gave a sigh of relief as he took his place in the line of Taichous. He ignored the worried looks from two of the other Taichous across the room as he waited for the meeting to start.

Once Yamamoto entered the room and took his seat, the meeting began. Most was just stuff concerning preparation for the upcoming war. So Jushiro decided, while he thought of how to best prepare his squad for the war, that he needed to fill his Fukutaichou position before he passed on. He began thinking of who he could appoint to the seat.

"Ukitake-Taichou." Jushiro was snapped out of his thoughts. He didn't know what was going on, but he didn't let it show. "I will be sending you on this mission. Be sure to report back on whether or not this mysterious reiatsu is a threat or not." Jushiro nodded and acted like he knew exactly what the Soutaichou had said previously. "Kurotsuchi-Taichou. Send a report to Ukitake-Taichou regarding where the reiatsu is emanating from and what it's signature is." Jushiro was looking forward to finding out more about the mission. We was going to be glad to get away from the worrying glances for a while.

"Yamamoto-Soutaichou." Everyone turned their attention to the Taichou of 4th squad. "May I suggest that you send someone to accompany Ukitake-Taichou. Just incase his health begins to declines again." Unahana ignored the disappointed look on the 13th squad Taichou's face.

The look did not escape the 8th squad Taichou's eyes. "Nanao-chan and myself can accompany him. We already have a schedule set up for our squad, so they won't be slacking off in their preparations while we are gone." Shunsui tipped his hat up and smiled at the Soutaichou.

Yamamoto thought on what two of his Taichous were suggesting. It was true that Jushiro didn't have the greatest health record, but he had seemed to be improving. He knew, however, that Jushiro's illness could strike him at any time. "Very well. 8th squad Taichou, Kyoraku Shunsui, and 8th squad Fukutaichou, Ise Nanao, will accompany 13th squad Taichou, Ukitake Jushiro, to the World of the Living." With that he stamped his staff on the ground and ended the meeting.

Jushiro left the meeting hall quickly and without speaking to anyone. He decided to walk back to his squad to try and clear his head. He started walking faster when he felt someone following him. He grew aggravated when his follower increased his speed as well. "Please stop following me Shunsui."

"But I'm your friend, and I'm worried about you." Shunsui increased his pace so that he could walk beside his friend. "You should take it easy. You don't want-"

"WANT TO WHAT?! Kill myself? That was already determined to happen when I was a child!" Jushiro stormed into his squad building. He ignored the worried looks from his subordinates as he walked towards his barracks. Once he was inside he let his reiatsu loose to try and release some of his frustration he had built up inside him. It crackled around the room.

"What made you so angry?" Shunsui stood outside of the room and just out of reach from the crackling reiatsu. He knew how much it hurt to get shocked by his friend when he was angry.

Jushiro took deep breaths to relax. He continued till his reiatsu was back under control. He made himself some tea and walked out of his barrack. He sat down and stared over the still pond while he sipped his tea.

Shunsui sat down beside his friend and watched him with worry.

Jushiro could feel his friend's gaze digging into the side of his head. He sighed as put down his empty tea cup. "You don't have to come with me. Neither you or Retsu-sempai should have brought up my health." He closed his eyes and enjoyed the breeze that blew his long hair out behind him. "Sometimes it's nice to not have anyone worry about you. Then no one gets hurt when you leave."

Shunsui frowned at his friend deeply. "No one will get hurt? I doubt that." He moved closer to his friend and put an arm around his shoulders. "For one, you can't pick who worries about you. I worry about you because you are my friend, and as your friend I also expect you to worry about me, and you to expect me to worry about you just as much as you worry about me. Did you leave me alone when Lisa left and I went into a drunken depression?"

Jushiro sighed, he knew Shunsui wouldn't leave him alone to be depressed or mope around. "No, I didn't. But that's different. You are perfectly healthy. I'm not sure how your liver has survived for so long with the amount you drink, but you're healthy. I couldn't just watch you throw your life away."

"And neither will I. You still have lots of life left in you." Shunsui smiled at his friend.

Jushiro sighed again as he got up and went back into his barrack. "I'll see you tomorrow at the Senkaimon." He waved and closed the door.

Shunsui frowned and sighed heavily. 'This is going to be a long mission. I'm going to have to make sure he doesn't get too depressed. Maybe some time in the real world will help him be more lively?' Shunsui smiled weakly at his thoughts as he headed back to his own squad barracks.

Jushiro leaned against the door to his barrack. He waited till he felt Shunsui's reiatsu leave the squad buildings. He then silently fell to the floor and coughed into his sleeve. His coughing lasted for what felt like hours. His sleeve was soaked in blood when he pulled it away.

He sighed as he walked to his bathroom. He soaked the pieces of his uniform to get the blood out before it stained the fabric. He looked at himself in his mirror. His skin was pale and taunt and his once bright green eyes were now a dull green, nearly grey colour. 'Is this how it ends for me? With a mission to track down someone with an unusually high reiatsu level? Just someone else to drag into our war, a war I can't do anything to help with.' Jushiro sighed as he went into his bedroom and fell down onto his bed, wishing the next day wouldn't come.

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Please leave a comment or a question.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Bleach.

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~Senkaimon gate:Seireitei~

Jushiro stood in front of the gate with his bag at his feet in his Gigai he had been issued. He pulled out the phone he had been issued from the pocket in his jeans and scrolled through the document that he had loaded onto it. He had read through the report, that he had received by email, at least three times while waiting for Shunsui and Nanao to show up.

"Reading the report?" Jushiro nearly jumped out of his skin. Shunsui smiled at his friend's reaction. "Ready to go, handsome?" Shunsui always teased him when ever he could. He then found his face hitting the ground at his friend's feet.

Nanao fixed her glasses as she readjusted the bag in her hand. "Please refrain from causing problems, Kyoraku-Taichou. We are accompanying Ukitake-Taichou to make sure his health doesn't decline, not give him a heart attack before the mission even starts." She picked up her larger bag that she had placed on the ground and turned away from her Taichou.

"Nanao-chaaan!" Shunsui whined while picking himself up. He picked up his own bag and Jushiro's. "Let's go!"

"Shunsui! I can carry my own bag." Jushiro followed after the two through the gate and tried to get his bag back from Shunsui.

Jushiro never got his bag from his friend. They stepped out of the gate in front of a small convenience store.

"Good morning! How can I help?" A man with a cane, sandals, bucket hat, and a fan waved through the open door of the store.

Nanao answered before either Taichou could say a word. "We only need to know if there are any apartments for rent in the area."

The blond man smiled at them. "Lucky for you, I know of one that is just down the street. There is a large sign. I'm sure you can find it easily."

Nanao bowed to the shopkeeper. "Thank you, Urahara-san."

Jushiro waved to the man as he turned to follow Nanao. "I feel like I'm being cared for already. I've had my bag carried and I'm being escorted everywhere." He didn't know if he could put any more sarcasm in his voice.

Shunsui noticed the heavy sarcasm and sighed equally as heavily.

The three walked in silence till they reached an apartment complex with a sign on the office window.

"It says they have an apartment for four, I'm sure we can fully cover the cost with the budget we've been given." Nanao scrolled through her phone as she walked into the office. She turned to the Taichous and gave Shunsui a glare. "Stay here."

Neither Shunsui nor Jushiro made any move to follow her into the office. They knew she could handle finalizing the apartment. The two friends stood in silence.

"So, can I have my bag back now?" Jushiro held his hand out for his bag. He was starting to get annoyed of being treated like a fragile object.

"But then my muscles will be lopsided." Shunsui whined while slouching a bit. It cause his button up shirt that he was wearing to buckle a bit in the front and his black fedora to almost fall off his head.

Jushiro sighed and massaged his temple. "I'm not going to ask again. Just give me back my bag!" He was not in the mood for playing around.

Shunsui noted his irritation and decided it was better to not have his friend yell himself into a coughing fit. "Alright, alright. Here." He handed Jushiro back his bag. "Just don't over exert yourself."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I already got an email from Retsu-sempai about that." Jushiro saw Nanao walk out of the office with three sets of keys. He walked towards her with his bag slung over his shoulder. "So where is the apartment?"

"Third floor. Stairs are this way." Nanao walked towards the side of the building. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"Aren't you going to lead the way, Nanao-chan?" Shunsui smiled at the girl.

"Not a chance! I am not having you walk behind me while I'm wearing a skirt this short! WHY THE HELL DID THEY LET YOU PICK MY OUTFIT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Nanao was not happy about the outfit. She was in a pleated skirt the barely went halfway down her thighs and a shirt that only covered her breasts and a fishnet like material underneath covering the rest of her skin over her arms and stomach. She was glad the shoes were flats, but not happy about the ripped tights that she wore with them. "I feel like this would be something Rangiku-san would pick to wear to some party or strip club."

"I think Nanao-chan looks really cute, and Rangiku-chan did pick it out." Shunsui smiled at his Fukutaichou.

"Figures." Nanao had guessed that the busty woman had something to do with the outfit. "You both can go first. That is why I have a key for each of you." She held the keys in her hand for each man to take one.

Jushiro picked up one of the keys and started up the stairs. He could hear the two behind him arguing, but he ignored them. He checked the tag on the key. "369" he looked at the first door near the landing on the third floor. It read "358". He looked at the door to the right of it, "359". 'So we go right.' He bagan walking down the hall.

"You sure that's the right way?" Jushiro rolled his eyes at his friends question.

"Yes, Shunsui. I'm sure." Jushiro kept walking as he checked the door numbers. He stopped once he found the one that read "369". He inserted the key and turned the lock. He pushed the door open and waited for his friend to reach the door. "Told you."

Shunsui could tell Jushiro was angry about something, but he didn't want to get into an argument. He held the door open as Nanao walked into the apartment.

"There are three bedrooms, one is larger than the other three. The larger one has a bath to itself while the other three use the main bath." Nanao really didn't care what room she got, as long as her Taichou didn't insist on sharing a room with her. "One of the smaller rooms will be set up as a communication room."

Jushiro spoke before Shunsui could. "You take the larger room wih the private bath, Ise-san. Shunsui and I can share the main bath." Jushiro walked towards one of the bedrooms. It was one of the smaller ones. He walked in and closed the door behind him.

He pulled the futon away from the corner it as in and laid it out flat to air out. Then he opened the window that was in the room to let some fresh air in. He smiled as a breeze blew through his hair. He dug through his bag and pulled out a hair tie he had. He gathered his hair into a loose low ponytail. He hadn't worn his hair like this for a while, it felt nostalgic.

He felt his phone go off and sighed. He pulled it out and noticed that it was a message saying their target's reiatsu was fluctuating. He swalloed a soul candy and walked out of his room to find his companions doing the same thing.

"Let's go." Jushiro wanted to get this mission over with. They shunpoed out the patio and jumped across roofs till they reached the location specified on their phones.

Nanao readjusted her glasses and looked from her phone to the field below her repeatedly. "This can't be right. There is no one here we can sense that has the signature we are looking for. What is wrong with this phone?" Nanao started typing an email to send to 12th squad, reporting the mistake.

Jushiro scanned the field. They seemed to be playing soccer. He saw Kurosaki Ichigo playing, as well as most of the others who were now allies with Seireitei. There were a few he didn't recognize and none matched the description in the report, but all of them had a bit of Reiatsu around them. Well, most of them. There was one girl with purple hair that didn't seem to have any reiatsu, not a trace.

He watched as she kept up easily with the others. He saw her turn and she seemed to look straight at where they were standing. She tripped and tumbled a bit afterwards. 'Did she see us?' Jushiro shook his head. It wasn't possible, she had no reiatsu and therefore should not be able to see them.

"She's a cutie." Jushiro looked towards his friend standing beside him. He saw Nanao's head snap up at his comment.

"Which one?" Jushiro didn't want to see his friend hurt too badly, just have a little sense knocked into him. He cast his gaze back on the field of people. He was surprised to see that most where leaving the field, except one purple haired girl. She appeared to be stretching and facing away from them. 'Well, that might work.'

"PERVERT!" Jushiro turned in time to see Nanao kick his friend off the building and pretty far onto the field.

Shunsui had landed right in front of the girl. She had turned around and was now leaning down and talking to him. "Hey there pervert." She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears.

Shunsui rolled over onto his back and looked up into her indigo eyes. "Hello there lovely lady." He tipped his hat up and smiled at her. "Pardon the interuption. We were just taking in the sights."

Jushiro sighed as he watched the girl kick his friend away from her. "Let's go before he does something really stupid." He got a nod from Nanao and they both joined Shunsui on the field. He was surprised the others that had been on the field with her hadn't noticed the three shinigami appear on the field, nor that their friend wasn't with them anymore.

"Kyoraku-Taichou, please refrain from saying anything else." Nanao sighed at her Taichou, he was lying at her feet with his face in the grass. Nanao turned to the girl and bowed. "I apologies for my Taichou's overly flirtatious ways."

"No problem. I can take care of myself. So, who are you guys." She held her hands behind her back and smiled at the three figures in black. The three noticed her muscles were all tense, as if she was holding herself back. "I've seen other black samurai, but they have never noticed me before, or they have just ignored me and watched from afar. What's different this time?"

Shunsui chuckled as he got up. "We are not samurai. We are shinigami."

"Shinigami? Then what are those strange monster things with a hole in their chest?" The girl poked her chest and stared at the three intently. She seemed genuinely curious.

"We aren't suppose-"Nanao began before receiving an email from 12th. She cursed at the phone and walked off to reply to it.

"Those monsters are called Hollows." Jushiro picked up the conversation. She could obviously see them, and since they couldn't feel any reiatsu that meant the Hollows wouldn't be attracted to her. "They eat souls to become stronger."

"Good to know. Stay away from them." She wrote it down in the air and put a check mark beside it. She then smiled at the two men. "Oh. I guess I should introduce myself. How rude of me. I'm Katsumoto Naomi. Pleased to meet you." She smiled and bowed with a large grin on her face. She seemed to have relaxed quite a bit.

Jushiro was surprised by how easy her attitude and demeanour had changed. 'She's young and full of life. Of course she can change so easily.' He took a deep breath before putting a smile on his face. "I am Ukitake Jushiro. 13th squad Taichou of the Gotei 13. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." He nodded his head and continued to smile at the girl.

Shunsui looked at his friend with a sad smile. He could tell his friend was just putting on a smile. He tipped his hat up with his thumb before speaking. "And I am Kyoraku Shunsui. 8th squad Taichou of the Gotei 13, and that lovely lady over there is my lovely Nanao-chan-" Shunsui face met with the grass again by the effects a fairly large book landing on his head.

"I am not yours, Taichou. I am Ise Nanao, 8th squad's Fukutaichou. Can you explain to me why we can not sense you, yet our sensors can pick up a very strange Reiatsu coming off of you?" Nanao held her phone in her hand and was reviewing notes she had. She didn't make a move to help Shunsui up.

"Reiatsu? What's-" A heavy presence settle over the group. Three didn't know what it was, the fourth looked scared to death. "No...not here...not now...not again." Jushiro noticed that Naomi looked like she was about to break down crying.

He was about to ask her what she meant when the presence lightened. He looked around, but saw nothing. He had his hand on his zanpakutou and was looking for a threat.

"So you got yourself some new friends?" The four looked up to see someone dressed in a shingami uniform, but his uniform had red fabric instead of white fabric under it. His black hair stood up in a mohawk with bright red on the tip of each spike. "And it looks like these ones may actually help instead of just thinking your a psychopath." He laughed like he himself was crazy.

"Calm yourself, Jaken. We came here to take care of her, not get involved in a war." Another figure dressed the same stood in front of the group on the ground. "Hand over the girl, and we won't be forced to kill you." The mystery figure had a scarf covering his face and a scar running over both his eyes. He had no hair to try and cover the scars with. "It would be a wise choice to comply, Taichou-san."

Shunsui stepped up beside his friend with his hand on one of his zanpakutous. "What makes you think you can tell us what is wise, or kill us? You must think you're really powerful, to make a claim like that."

The two mystery figures launched themselves at the group. Shunsui blocked the bald one on the ground while Jushiro blocked the one named Jaken. Nanao stayed closed to Naomi and moved them away from the fight.

"So this is the strength of a Gotei 13 Taichou?" Jaken knocked Jushiro away easily with a slap of his hand. "Pathetic! I don't even have to draw my zanpakutou!" Jaken followed after Jushiro and punched him back towards the group.

Shunsui had drawn one of his zanpakutou and was astonished his opponent could push against his blade with just his bare hand. "Your friend seems to be having some difficulty." Shunsui narrowed his eyes at the bald man. "You seem to be as well."

Shunsui felt something make a solid connection with his stomach and force him backwards. He got up quickly and avoided a foot that landed where he had been. "You're strong." Shunsui pulled out his second zanpakutou. "Looks like I don't have the choice to go easy on you. Katen Kyokotsu." Shunsui lashed out at his opponent, but none of his attacks landed.

Shunsui felt Jushiro's back hit his. "Looks like we are in a bit of a bind. Eh, Jushiro?" Shunsui tried a light voice, but there was a bit of worry mixed in.

"They're not even taking us seriously." Jushiro kept his eyes on the man named Jaken. He was shorter than he had first thought, and much stronger. "Any bright ideas-" Jushiro nearly dropped his zanpakutou as he fell to his knees coughing. He could feel his sleeve being soaked in blood as he continued to cough.

"Would you look at that Yuri. We don't even need to worry about that one. He'll eventually just kill himself." Jaken walked over to his companion. "Let's just grab the girl and leave. Or better yet, why don't we just bring her heart back and have this all over and done with?"

Yuri thought about the question in his mind. He furrowed his brow as he heard something behind him. He turned to see the two women standing there. "Hado 91: Senju Koten Taiho!" He watched as ten pink objects flew towards him, but missed.

"What was that suppose to be?" Jaken laughed as he mocked the missed shot. "Aren't you suppose to hit us? Maybe you should get stronger glasses?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have moved." Both men turned to see the white haired man holding up two sword with a glowing rope connecting the two. A pink light shot out of one of his swords. The blood covered man was too close for them to dodge. Jushiro coughed lightly in the dust from the explosion. "Did we get them?" Jushiro wiped his still bloody lips and chin on his still clean sleeve.

Shunsui looked around, but couldn't see anything. He could still feel the two, but just barely. "Yes, but I don't think we finished them. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Jushiro held his ground, he wasn't sure he could support himself if he moved. He felt dizzy and his legs felt like jello. It surprised him that he was even standing in the first place.

"What the hell was that?!" The group of four people looked up to see the two men standing on the air. Both had a few small bleeding cuts and their outfits were mildly torn, but they were mostly unharmed. "You had such a good shot, and that's all you could do?! How the hell are you two even Taichous?"

"Calm down Jaken. You forget that the Gotei 13 is much weaker than the Royal Guard. We should report back to his Majesty." Yuri held up a device that had two handles on it. Jaken took the handle on his side of the device. "Let this serve as a warning. To protect that girl means to bring about the destruction of yourselves. Kill her and be done with this."

"Even if you don't, she's still gonna die." Jaken sneered as he turned the handle. Both of their bodies twisted and were pulled in towards the strange device, and then they were gone.

"Well that was interesting, and an eye opener. I think I need to spar more often." Shunsui replaced his zanpakutou in their sheaths and stretched his sore muscles. The two men had been strong, much stronger than they had appeared.

"At least we managed to out wit them." Nanao fixed her glasses and used a healing kido on Shunsui's sore muscles, Jushiro had refused her help.

"At least they decided to leave." Jushiro turned to the girl with purple hair. She was shaking a bit and was looking at the ground. "Who where those men?" He didn't get an answer or even a reaction from the girl. "Why were they after you?" He very nearly growled at her.

Shunsui sighed and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Calm down Jushiro. Naomi-chan seems quite shaken up." He could see that the girl was close to tears. He timidly approached the girl and gently placed a hand on her arm. "Are you okay, Naomi-chan?"

The girl snapped her head up and backed away from the man in the pink kimono. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

The three shinigami looked at the girl with puzzled faces. Did she forget what just happened?

Shunsui smiled at the girl. "You told us, Naomi-chan. And we just introduced our selves to you. Do you not remember?" He frowned when he saw the girl shaking her head.

Nanao's phone went off and she picked it up. "Ise speaking...Yes we are...yes we know we encountered an outside force...no we did not defeat them...we don't know how...they had some strange device...no we didn't bother to take a reading of the energy waves that came off of it...very well." She closed the phone and tucked it into her pocket. "We have a meeting with the Soutaichou. 12th squad should have installed the communication device in the apartment by now."

Jushiro nodded and turned to leave, but his breath caught in his throat. He began coughing again as he fell to a kneeling position. The coughs lessened as he felt a hand on his back. "Are you okay?" He turned to see a pair worried indigo eyes framed by lilac hair meet his greying green eyes.

He shook off the hand from his back. "I'm fine. I'll see you both back at the apartment." With that he left the girl and her soothing touch.

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Please leave a comment or a question.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

Naomi looked at the place where the man with white hair used to be. Who was he? She turned when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She saw the man in the pink kimono and the woman with glasses and a book.

"I guess we should reintroduce ourselves. I am Kyoraku Shunsui. I am Taichou of 8th squad in the Gotei 13. And this is-" the woman hit the man with the book she was holding so she could introduce herself.

"I'm am Ise Nanao, Fukutaichou of 8th squad." Nanao readjusted her glasses while ignoring Shunsui's, fake, hurt expression.

Naomi nodded at the two. "And he was..." She looked back in the direction the other black samurai had gone. But these black samurais where different than the ones she had nightmares about. Different than the ones that ran her out of every foster home that ever dared to take her in. Different than the ones that made her feel like ending her own misery. They were more like guardian angels than bringers of death and misfortune.

"That was Ukitake Jushiro, 13th Squad Taichou." Shunsui fixed his hat after making sure it wasn't bent in any places. "It was nice to meet you, Naomi-chan. Maybe we can talk again some time." Shunsui smiled before leaving to follow after his friend and make sure he was alright.

Naomi was surprised at how fast they could move. She followed the direction they were heading in. She saw the woman one more time before she had gotten to far away.

"So what did they want to talk to you about?" Naomi turned to see Ichigo standing behind her.

"I'm not sure. I don't really remember. What do you know about the go tie thirteen?" Naomi thought it sounded familiar, but couldn't quite pin point what it was.

"Well...um...that's..." Ichigo tried to think of a way to not answer the question.

"What is taking you two so long?!" The two looked towards the end of the field and saw a woman with orange hair waving at them, Inoue Orihime.

"Just asking Ichigo-kun some hard questions. Think you can do better, Orihime-chan?" Naomi knew she could get her new friend to tell her what Ichigo was obviously refusing to share.

"Yes!" Orihime loved answering Naomi's question. They always meant that the girl would go to her house for dinner. "Tatsuki-chan! Naomi-chan is coming with us! We are going to my house for dinner!" Orihime ran towards the group assembling in the parking lot beside the soccer field.

Naomi laughed at he girl's enthusiasm. Everyone broke off into separate groups as they walked to their different destinations. She walked behind the two girls as they talked the whole way to Orihime's house. Both girls waved to Tatsuki as she excused herself saying she had practise in the morning and that she wanted to get lots of rest.

"So what's on the menu for tonight?" Naomi was a little worried to ask, but knew it was probably going to be edible.

"I have mushrooms, celery, ice cream, cheese, jello, pickles, and jalapeños. So I was planning on making sweet jalapeño poppers." Orihime smiled at her friend as she walked into her house.

Naomi sweat dropped at the girl's ingredient list. She was hoping the girl wouldn't use all of them. "Sounds great." She sat down in the living room as Orihime walked into the kitchen to make the strange concoction. "What do you know about the go tie thirteen. I met some people who where telling me about it, but I didn't really get it."

Orihime peaked her head out of the room. "Who where you talking to?" She wondered how her friend had heard about the shinigami organization. She didn't have any reiatsu.

"Let's see." Naomi thought back to the three black samurais she had met. "They all wore black outfits. Two had a white coat over them. One of the two had a pink kimono on top. I think his name was Kyoraku Shunsui. The other with a white coat was Ukitake Jushiro, I believe. And the woman said her name was Ise Nanao." Naomi smiled at herself for remembering their names. She usually did, but they had said that they had already introduced themselves to her. That baffled her, she never forgot names of people she found interesting. And those three took the cake.

Orihime was surprised by the names. She knew exactly who her friend was talking about. 'So she can see shinigami?' She decided it was okay to tell the girl what she was getting into.

~several hours later~

The two girls sat on the couch facing each other with an empty plate of sweet jalapeño poppers between them.

"So let me see if I have this right." Naomi held up a hand and began listing things off. "The people dressed in black are called shinigami. The monsters with holes are called Hollows. Shinigami live in a place called Seireitei, and that is in Soul Society. They protect plus souls from Hollows, because Hollows eat them. Shinigami fight Hollows using swords called zanpakutou, which are a part of the shinigami's soul and is different with each shinigami. Shinigami with white coats, that are called haoris, are Taichous for specific squads. The thirteen squads make up the Gotei 13."

Naomi waited for Orihime to nod before continuing. "Ichigo-kun is a substitute shinigami, because he is still a human. You have been to Soul Society, but you are not a shinigami. Sado-kun and Ishida-kun have also been to Soul Society. But they aren't shinigami either. You all have something called reiatsu, which I do not posses? How do you know?"

"Well...it's sort of this feeling that I can sense. I can feel it around most of the people that are around Kurosaki-kun, but none around you." Orihime tried to explain it as best as she could. "Anything else you would like to know?"

"Why are the shinigami interested in me? If I don't have any reiatsu, then why are they concerned about me.?" Naomi couldn't understand how she could be considered a threat when she didn't even have any power to fight them with.

"It might be because you have no reiatsu but can still see them. I have certainly never heard of someone like that, but then again I'm quite new to this stuff myself." Orihime smiled at her friend. She was glad to be able to tell her the truth.

Naomi smiled back at Orihime. "Thank you for the delicious food. I should get back to my place. It's getting rather late." She got up and began walking towards the door.

"You could spend the night. I have enough room." Orihime was worried about what might happen to her friend, it was really, really late.

Naomi slid her shoes on and faced her friend. "I'll be alright. Besides, I don't have a uniform to wear at school tomorrow. I'll see you at school." She waved to her friend as she left the house and ran back to her apartment. She took the stairs two at a time till she reached the third floor. Then turned right and walked till she got to the door with '370' written on it.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the key. She fiddled with it to try and get it into the lock, it was an old lock.

"Evening, Naomi-chan." Naomi turned to see a man in a pair of black dress pants, a white button up shirt with a black jacket over it, and a fedora on his head. The pink kimono draped over his shoulders gave away who he was. "Do you remember who I am?"

"Good evening Kyoraku-san." Naomi finally got the key into the lock and turned the key. She sighed with relief as she heard the lock turn, it had a tendency to stick every now and then. "How is Ukitake-san doing?" She threw her key into the bowl in her entranceway and leaned on her door.

"He's doing well. How are you doing?" He was surprised to see the girl again so soon. She even lived next door to them.

"I'm doing well. I just got back from Orihime-chan's place." She wanted to see if he knew who she was talking about.

Shunsui smiled at the girl. He guessed the woman had told her everything about shinigami and Soul Society. "So Ichigo-kun's friend filled you in?" He wanted to be sure.

"Yes. Shinigami-san. Here is a question for you. Do all of the basic uniforms consist of only black and white fabric? Has there ever been red fabric included?" Naomi wanted to make sure they weren't involved with the men that were ruining her life. They always showed up and she would have a gap in her memory afterwards, and be forced to start over in a new place because of the trouble they had caused.

"Not that I know of or remeber, and I have been a Taichou for a long time. Why do you ask?" Shunsui was curious about what the girl remembered about their encounter that afternoon.

"Just something that has been bothering me for sometime now. For as long as I can remember actually." Naomi was upset she couldn't find out anything about her stalkers, but at least she had a lead. "It's late, I shouldn't keep you. Have a good evening, Kyoraku-san."

"Shunsui is just fine. Kyoraku-san sounds like my parents." Shunsui smiled at the girl as she waved and closed her door. "Sleep well, Naomi-chan." He walked next door to his apartment.

Naomi walked to her bedroom and changed from her soccer clothes into a pair of shorts and a tank top. She stretched on her bed as she reviewed her day. She concentrated hard on what happened after they had finished their game, but as hard as she tried, all she got was a headache. She sighed as she rolled off her bed and turned her lights out. She was done with the day.

~Jushiro~

Jushiro sat on his futon and drank his cup of tea. It was his fourth one since he had gotten back to the apartment. He sighed again, he couldn't get those indigo eyes out of his head. They seemed so concerned, yet they didn't make him feel irritated. They felt comforting in a way.

He finished his tea and brought cup out to the kitchen. He passed Shunsui as his friend returned from his walk.

Shunsui looked at his friend curiously. "When did you tie your hair back?" He hadn't seen his friend tie back his hair since a little incident that happened before he had lost his previous Fukutaichou, Shiba Kaien.

"I just thought it was more practical this way." Jushiro decided against another cup of tea. "You should get some sleep. We have to be at Karakura High School early tomorrow. Who suggested that we act as teachers anyway? We don't even know what they teach here." Jushiro walked back towards his room.

Shunsui chuckled a bit, Jushiro was starting to act more like himself. "At least it will keep us close to Naomi-chan in case those men show up again. I don't see why we had to send Nanao-chan back to Soul Society though." Shunsui was very upset to not have her with him.

"Because she needs to research more about these red and black shinigami. Good night Shunsui." Jushiro closed his door and turned out his light. He was glad the day was finally over. He hoped the next day would be better.

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	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

Naomi walked briskly to school. She slept through her alarm and was now running late. Well, later than she normally got to school. She got to school with ten minutes before the bell. She got to her class and quickly sat at her seat. She sighed when she saw that most of the boys where gone.

"What's the matter Naomi-chan?" Naomi looked up to see Orihime standing beside her. "Did you get home safely?"

"Yes I did. I'm just relieved that there aren't that many people here yet." She relaxed more as she saw others from Ichigo's group of friends start to file into the classroom. "So what's this I hear about a new teacher?"

"Oh yeah. Apparently he is teaching a class down the hall, or thats what I heard at least." Orihime sat down in her seat as she spoke. "A lot of the girls are saying he is really handsome. I haven't seen him yet though."

"Maybe we could go meet him after class?" Naomi pulled out her books as more students started to walk into the classroom. 'Now starts another day of hell.'

"Hey Katsumoto-san. Practise today has been extended for an extra hour." A fairly large built boy shouted at Naomi from the doorway, kendo club president. He left once he got a thumbs up from the girl.

"Katsumoto-san. We've been moved to the west field for the rest of the season." An athletic looking girl, soccer captain, shouted then left without waiting for a reply.

Naomi was getting tired of the constant shouting that came every morning before class. Most people would think she was popular, but that was far from the truth. Other than Orihime, Ichigo and the rest of his friends, she didn't have any friends. She was probably the least liked person in the entire school. The only reason people dealt with her was because she was athletic, strong, and a pretty good cook when it came to sweets.

"Katsumoto-san. How are the chocolates coming for my party?" Naomi looked towards the girl that was addressing her.

"They're fine. What time would you like me to drop them off?" Naomi had her fridge full of crown shaped chocolates for this girl's party. She didn't bother remembering people's name, just their faces and what they wanted from her.

"Tonight around ten is fine." The girl turned and walked away from the purple haired freak. That's what people referred to her as behind her back, but she knew about it.

It was the same at all of her schools and homes. She would get settled in and have a fresh start. Then those men would show up. They would taunt her and cause her to get in trouble. She had been forced to go to therapy many times because of them. Almost put into a mental hospital a few times.

So this time she decided to be strange from the start. That way no one questioned her when strange things started happening. Like they were always bound to happen.

Naomi shook herself from her self pitying thoughts. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and tied it with the elastic around her wrist. She always pulled it back when she needed to focus on something or get her mind off of her past. It was a trick she came up with after moving to her 30th foster home at the age of 12.

"Good morning everyone!" A man with a pink dress shirt walked into the class room.

Many of the girls began drooling over the man. He was pretty good looking in Naomi's mind. Tall and well built by the looks of it. He had dark brown hair that looked wavy and was tied back with a pink hair tie. There also seemed to be a pair of flower pins sticking into his hair tie. His face was handsome, with a bit of scruff and a nice smile that accompanied his chocolate brown eyes.

Naomi's eyes widened when she realized who it was. She looked sideways to see Ichigo, Orihime, Sado, and Ishida look at the man in surprise as well. So she assumed the man was indeed, Kyoraku Shunsui.

"I am your new Philosophy teacher, Kyoraku Shunsui. And by the way, the schedules have been switched around. Philosophy will now be when you would normally have Math and Math is now when you would normally have Philosophy. I will also be your new home room teacher." Shunsui smiled at his class of students. He recognized most of Ichigo's friends, and to his delight his neighbour was also there. "So I will let you all have your home room time." With that Shunsui sat down at his desk and went over the lesson plan he had put together, five minutes ago.

Naomi didn't pay much attention to home room. She was too busy trying to figure out why the man was here, and why it had to be her class. She payed attention when she heard her name. She looked up at the board and saw her name written down for both cleaning and book keeping. "I can't do both. It's suppose to be a two person job."

"Well you're the only one left on the list." The boy pointed towards the list he had in his hand.

"I will help Naomi-chan with cleaning." Naomi was glad to see Orihime raise her hand and volunteer to help.

Naomi smiled as the boy wrote Orihime's name beside her own on the board. With that home room finished and Philosophy class began.

~lunch break~

Naomi walked towards the roof to have lunch with Orihime and the others. She was stopped by a boy in the hall. "What do you want?" She knew what was coming, but that didn't make this anymore humiliating.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me, Naomi-chan." He sneered her name as he leaned close to her face.

"No. Now please move." Naomi hated the way the boys did this. She had said yes once, it ended in tears, honey and feathers. She hated them all for it.

She tried to walk around him, but the boy blocked Naomi every way she tried to go. He grabbed her wrist harshly. "Why not? We had so much fun last time."

She cringed at the sharp pain coming from her wrist. She was surprised when it was replaced by a rougher feeling hand, but it was much gentler. She opened her eyes to see a pink shirt and a tanned hand holding hers.

"A gentle man should not be so rough with a lady." Shunsui frowned at the boy he stood in front of. He smiled as he turned to the girl beside him. "Are you alright, Naomi-chan?"

Naomi nodded as she massaged her sore wrist after pulling it out of Shunsui's hand. She looked away once she realized she had been staring at him. "Thank you, Kyoraku-Sensei."

Shunsui smiled at the girl's cuteness. "Let's go get that checked out by the nurse, shall we?" He walked beside the girl down to the nurses office, oblivious to the evil glares from the girls lining the hallway.

Naomi noticed the glares, and she couldn't ignore them. She was grateful when they reached the nurses office. "Thank you for walking me to the nurses office." She didn't look at Shunsui, she didn't want to get anymore glares than she had already recieved.

"No problem. Have a good day." Shunsui waved and headed back to his classroom.

Naomi took a deep breath and opened the door, she probably only needed a bit of ice. She stopped opening the door when she noticed who was there in front of her in the nurse's jacket. Her eyes locked onto a pair of grey eyes, but they weren't completely grey. There was still tinge of green left in them, still a little spark of colour. She found herself unable to move or form a word even. She just stood there staring.

~Jushiro~

Jushiro looked towards the door as he heard it open. He caught sight of the lilac hair and froze before he could utter a word. He because completely paralyzed once he met her indigo eyes. 'How does she do this to me?'

He saw that she was frozen as well and decided to act first. "Please come in and shut the door please. It gets quite loud during breaks. What seems to be the problem?" He didn't fully know what he was suppose to do as the nurse, but he assumed it was somewhat like what Retsu did at 4th. Only, less severe.

"Um...I um...I hurt my wrist...I was wondering if I could...um get some ice." He looked back at the girl. Her cheeks were flushed and she was studying something on the only blank wall of the room.

"Let me have a look." He got up and walked towards her. He gently held his hand out and waited for her to place her hand in his. He smiled internally when she did. "Do you know who I am?"

He could tell by her look that she was surprised by the question. "You're Ukitake Jushiro. You're one of the shinigami that saved me the other day. Thank you." He assumed she had remembered what had happened the other day on the soccer field.

"Not a problem." Jushiro smiled at her as he used a bit of kido to heal the bruised tendons in her wrist. "This should help keep the swelling down and help to heal it faster. Who did this to you?" He was surprised at his worry for the girl. 'What am I doing? I can't lead her on. I'll be dead in a month.'

"Just a prank gone wrong. Nothing unusual." Naomi looked away from his smile that had turned sad. She could have sworn she had seen a bit of happiness there. "Thank you, Ukitake-Sensei." Naomi opened the door and left the office.

Jushiro stood there for at least an hour. He could still feel the coldness of her skin against his hands. He took deep breaths to calm his heart. He hadn't realized it had increased. 'Must be because of the bastard that hurt her. Why do I even care about that?' Jushiro sat down and rubbed his forehead. What was he getting himself into?

He snapped out of his self thinking when he felt a familiar presence outside of the door. "You don't have to knock, Shunsui."

Shunsui peeked into the room. "How was Naomi-chan?" He smiled as he walked into the room and closed the door.

"She was fine. Did you know she knows what we are?" His anger spiked when he got a nod from his friend. "You didn't think to mention that!"

"Calm down. It's not a bad thing. After all, she is the one those men are after." Shunsui sat on the bed in the room and leaned back onto his hands. "How bad were her wrists? They were already starting to swell a bit when I brought her here."

"They weren't too bad. Luckily the emails Retsu-sempai sent me were quite helpful. It should be healed enough for her to use it in class." Jushiro was pleased he could heal it that well. He hated to think of her being injured.

Shunsui saw the change in his friend. He wondered what the girl was doing to his friend. 'Well, what ever it is. It seems to be helping him.' He smiled at the thought of his friend beginning to mend.

"What are you looking at?" Jushiro had noticed Shunsui was staring at him, it was making him a bit uncomfortable. All he got was a shrug. He sighed heavily. His breath caught on the exhale and he grabbed for the towel he kept near his desk. He coughed into it heavily for about ten minutes.

"It's been getting worse, hasn't it?" Shunsui looked at his friend with sad eyes. He hated to see him wasting away like this.

Jushiro pulled the towel away and soaked it to get the blood out. "Yeah. But it doesn't happen as often, but they are getting worse." Jushiro leaned on the counter trying to keep his eyes clear. He couldn't break down, not now, not after all this time of dealing with it.

"Do you want to go home?" Shunsui wasn't sure what to do about his friend anymore. He had never thought about what he would do if Jushiro died. He always expected them both to die of old age or on the battle field. Not at different times, not like this.

Jushiro stared at the diluted blood that flowed towards the drain of the sink. How much blood had he washed down a sink? How much time had he lost to this illness of his? He was tired of fighting a losing battle. "No. I will finish this mission first. I want to at least leave something with closure." He turned off the water and hung the blood free towel to dry.

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Please leave a comment or a question.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

Naomi could feel the blush spreading across her face. She shook her head of the thoughts that had gone thought her head. 'Why did I want to kiss him? I only just met him. Get a hold of yourself!' She walked out onto the roof and ran into the fence.

The other people on the roof looked up at the sound of something hitting the metal fence. They saw their purple haired friend lying on the pavement in front of the fence.

"You still alive, Naomi?" Ichigo was a bit worried for the girl. She had been through a lot since coming to Karakura High a week ago.

Naomi got up and dusted herself off. "Yeah. Just lost in my thoughts." She sat down beside Orihime and tried to enjoy her lunch.

She groaned when she heard the warning bell for classes to resume. She wasn't looking forward to the next class, PE. She got up and followed the others with a rain cloud over her head, till they got onto the field for class.

Naomi pulled at her bottoms. She hated the uniform for gym. It showed off her legs that she did not like, because they were so long and slender. And the top clung to her chest and stomach. Her stomach was a flat as a board and her chest was a little smaller than Orihime's. All in all, she hated how much it showed off how toned her body was. She hated to draw attention to herself.

"The girls and boys will be combined. We are playing soccer today. Kurosaki and Ishida, you guys are team captains. Call it Kurosaki." The teacher flipped a coin and slapped in onto the back of his hand.

"Heads." Ichigo wasn't too worried about who was going to be on his team, but he really wanted Naomi. She was the best soccer player in the class.

"It's tails. Ishida you have first pick. Start with a girl then alternate between girls and boys." The teacher knew which person was being picked first.

"Katsumoto." Ishida knew they had a hard fight to beat Ichigo, but he knew he was almost ensured a victory with Naomi on his team.

Naomi smiled as she stepped up beside the tall boy with glasses. Despite his none athletic look, he was pretty good at being a goalie.

It took five minutes to divide up the teams. And five more minutes to decide the player line up. Naomi had chosen to stay on the field at all times and forward middle position. She could tell by Ichigo's team set up that he had also chosen to stay on the field all game, he was in their goal.

"Game on!" The teacher blew his whistle as Naomi kicked off the ball.

The game was intense. Naomi didn't let up no matter who she was against. Ichigo wasn't backing down either. It was only once there was two minutes left till the end of class that a goal was finally scored.

"Game on, Ichigo-kun." Naomi danced away from the goal and it's almost exhausted goalie. She was surprised she was still standing herself.

"This is no where near over." Ichigo kicked the ball deep into the opponent's side of the field.

The ball went deep enough for Ishida to catch it. "Deep!" He yelled as he kicked it. It didn't go as deep as Ichigo's, but it went directly to a certain player.

"All yours, Orihime!" She called to the girl once Ichigo and Tatsuki were fully focused on her and not her team mate. Naomi knew Tatsuki would be on her quickly. Orihime was far away from Tatsuki and Ichigo. She easily passed the ball to the girl who kicked it into the goal.

"Yeah!" Orihime was so happy. She got to score a goal. "Thank you Naomi-chan!" She grabbed the purple haired girl and spun a round with her.

"No problem Orihime-chan. You were more open than me." She was glad the girl had picked her up. She didn't think her legs could support her anymore.

The teacher blew his whistle for the end of class. "Game end. Final score is 2-0 for Ishida's team. Good team work Katsumoto-san."

"Thank you Sensei." Naomi limped towards the change rooms. She limped up next to an equally limping carrot top. "Good game, Ichigo-kun." She held up her hand for a high five.

Ichigo smiled and gave her a high five. "I think we should only play for ten minute shifts next time. I don't think I could survive another full game against you." Ichigo was exhausted and sore. He hadn't over exerted himself this much since Bankai training.

"Yeah. I think I'm going to be limping for a week." Naomi tried to walk more than limp, but found it too painful and went back to limping.

"It's both of your faults for deciding to play all game. So deal with the consequences of your own choices." Both Ichigo and Naomi glared at their friend with glasses. "I'm only stating facts."

Naomi rolled her eyes as she walked into the girl's change room. She saw Orihime and Tatsuki sitting on the bench. "Why haven't you guys gone off to class yet?"

"We just thought we would wait for you." Orihime had sat on the bench and watched Naomi's locker so the other girls didn't throw her stuff in the trash or try to flush it down the toilet, again. "Isn't that what friends do for their friends?" Orihime smiled at the girl to hide her worry.

"Thank you. I'll change quickly." She pulled her stuff out of her locker and quickly changed back into her uniform. She put her gym clothes into her gym bag and placed it on her wrist. She cringed a bit at the bite of pain that still remaind. "Okay. Let's go!"

~Jushiro~

Jushiro was lying down on the bed in the nurses office. Shunsui had long since returned to his class and left the ill man to mope. Jushiro wasn't feeling up to doing anything other than mope about and be depressed. He got up quickly, though, when he heard the doorknob turn.

He watched as a girl with curly blond hair walked into the room and closed the door before leaning on it. He groaned inwardly as he placed a smiled on his face. "How can I help you?"

"I have a terrible headache. I can't focus on my studies, Sensei." He could tell she was trying to be flirtatious, but she was doing it terribly.

'I am comparing her to Shunsui, and he's had centuries to perfect his flirting. And he used to practice on me!' He went to his cabinet of medications he was allowed to administer without parent's approval. He scanned through till he found a headache remedy. "Take this with some water and you should be fine-what are you doing?" He dropped his smile into an annoyed face when she put her arms around his neck when he had turned back towards her.

"I just thought we could have some fun. It's last period and no one is going to be coming any time soon." She ran one of her fingers down the front of Jushiro's nurse coat he wore. "I just thought you might want to relax after such a long day. Especially when your only other patient was the purple haired freak-" she stopped when she suddenly felt the air get thick around her.

"It's not nice to talk about other students behind their back, especially to a teacher." He handed her the tablets and pushed her out of the room in a not-so-gentle kind of way. "Please make your way back to class safely." He gave her a fake smile and shut the door, then locked it.

He sat down heavily in his chair. 'I over reacted again. Why do I do that when she is involved?' Her eyes flashed through his head with her smile and her laugh. 'Why can't I get her out of my head? I can't do this to her. I can't break her heart.'

Jushiro stared at the ground with surprise. There were small drops of water. He brought his hand to his eyes and felt the tears running down his cheeks. He walked over to the bed and buried his head in the pillows. He sobbed loudly, but he didn't care if people heard him. He was breaking down. He couldn't hold it in anymore, so he just let it all out.

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I know short chapter. Let me know if you think it's moving too fast. Please leave a comment or a question.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

It was a few weeks after the new teacher and nurse had settled into their positions. Nothing significant had happened to Naomi. That anyone could tell at first glance anyways. If they looked closer they could see her hair was about an inch shorter and she wore two different styles of shoes on each foot.

Naomi just passed it off as a trim and that she couldn't find a matching pair. Her friends could tell she was lying, but they didn't want to upset her. She didn't seem to be upset by by the harsh treatment she was getting, so why make a big deal out of a little problem.

"Hey freak!" Naomi turned to see one of the groups of girls that harassed her regularly walking towards her. "What have you got there?"

Naomi tightened her grip on the box in her arms. She had tried out a new cake recipe and was going to ask Orihime and the gang to try it, maybe Jushiro too. "Nothing of importance to you." She turned to walk away, but found the end of the hallway blocked by a group of boys trying to hide around the corner. She walked down the hall and turned down a corridor.

"You can't run forever, and you can't hide either." Naomi didn't stop or look back, she just kept moving. She turned down another hall and found her self at a dead end. She quickly turned and ran down to the other end. She saw her class room and decided to hide the cake with a note.

She snuck into the class and hid underneath Shunsui's desk. She heard foot steps pass the door and continue down the hall. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" Shunsui peeked at the girl that was hiding under his desk.

"KYA!" Naomi almost smashed the cake she was holding. She held her hand over her racing heart. "You scared me, Kyoraku-sensei." She passed her cake to his outstretched hand and crawled out from under his desk.

Shunsui put the cake down on his desk and sat beside it. "Sorry. Didn't expect to see someone hide under my desk while I was organizing the note books at the back." Shunsui smiled at the girl as he saw her flush with embarrassment.

"You...you...you were in here when I...when I...oh dear." She ran her hand through her hair. Her attention was pulled back to the hall when she heard running feet. She had a strong need to hide again, but she couldn't bring herself to move with Shunsui there.

"I've got this covered." Naomi looked towards Shunsui in surprise. She heard him whisper something under his breath, but couldn't catch the words. She tensed again when she heard the door at the back of the class open. "Don't move too much." Naomi stood still, she didn't think she could move, even if she wanted to.

"I could have sworn I heard her. Where is that freak?" The lead girl growled as she moved around the room and looked under all of the desks. "I swear when I get my hands on her she is going to pay. She thinks she can hide that she's selling herself off for her grades. She even has the nurse wrapped around her slutty finger. Well she can't have all of the good looking men." The girls walked out of the room, but their chatter could still be heard down the hall.

Naomi tried to hold back her tears, but they were too persistent.

Shunsui felt bad for the poor girl. She couldn't help her differences, but to say the only reason she has the marks she has is because she was sleeping with her teachers? That was insane. He was one of her teachers and her papers were worth far more than the highest mark he could give her. She was brilliant.

Naomi found her feet moving towards the door of the class room. "Thank you for your help, Kyoraku-sensei." She walked out ignoring his calls to her. She continued to walk till a noise caused her to panic. She opened the door closest to her, walked into the room, and closed the door. She a stared at the door as she heard the foot steps on the other side of the door draw closer.

~Jushiro~

Jushiro looked up from the papers he was filling out to see who had suddenly walked into his office. He was surprised to see Naomi there. He saw that she was shaking and that her breathing was shallow. 'What is she scared of?'

He slowly got up and pushed his chair back. The subtle scraping sound drew the girl's attention. She spun around and pressed herself against the door. She was terrified, and crying.

"It's okay." He slowly approached her with an outstretched hand. "It's okay. No one is going to hurt you. There is nothing to be afraid of here." He wrapped his arms around her slowly and drew her close. She was shaking terribly and he could see tears streaming down her face. "You're safe here."

Naomi relaxed a little in his arms. He had been acting distant every time she had passed him in the hall or had to go to his office for something. It had hurt her a little. She had thought they had a connection of some kind. She liked the idea of being connected to someone. She didn't know what it felt like to feel loved or even liked. All she knew was what Orihime and the others had tried, a simple friendship.

She tensed again when she heard foot steps walk past the door. She could hear voices on the other side of it.

Jushiro recognized the voice as the one from the girl that kept trying to flirt with him, or seduce him. Either way she was annoying. He really didn't want to deal with her.

An idea popped into his head. He lead Naomi to the large standing cabinet that had nothing in but a stack of towels. He thought twice about his plan, but then heard the doorknob turn. Both jumped into the cabinet and closed the door. Jushiro locked it from the inside.

"Aww. He's not here. Too bad. I was planning on having my fun today." Jushiro nearly vomited at the thought of what she could possibly be planning.

"Is that why you carry handcuffs in your bag?" Both of the people hiding in the closet couldn't stand the sound of any of the girls' voices. They all sounded annoying.

"Yep. And if I can find the freak slutting around, then I can make her watch as a real woman pleases a man." The girls laughed and continued to talk till they left the room.

Jushiro looked towards Naomi in the semi darkness. He could see fresh tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes were puffy and head tilted down slightly. He took a step forward and placed a hand on her cheek. He lifted her head till her indigo eyes met his. He never thought his heart could hurt as much as the hurt he saw in her eyes.

Naomi couldn't stop the tears. What made the situation worse was that Jushiro had been there with her. To hear everything that she was dealing with and to see her walls finally cave in. She had held up for as long as she could, but it was too much for her now. All she could do was cry, then try to pick up the pieces of her life and start over somewhere else.

Naomi tried to take her eyes away from Jushiro's, but she couldn't bring her self to break this last connection she held on to. She wanted to keep it, even for a moment longer.

Jushiro couldn't suppress the urge he felt any longer. He slowly leaned down till their lips brushed each other. He could feel sparks fly between them and was fighting his urge to keep moving closer. He wanted to give her a chance to say no to him.

Naomi closed her eyes slowly as she lifted herself up to close the gap between their lips. Suddenly she didn't feel so alone. She felt a tug at her heart as she gasped at the electricity to their kiss.

Jushiro was surprised that she had met his lips, but that emotion was quickly lost. He could taste her tears on her lips, they caused his heart to ache and want to hold her closer to him. He felt another wave of sparks dance between their lips. He felt her gasp and timidly asked for entrance with his tongue. He didn't want to scare her away.

Naomi felt the sparks on his tongue as he glided it across her bottom lip. She slipped her tongue towards his telling him it was okay. She didn't know what was coming over her. She had never felt like this before, it scared her a bit but she smiled as her tongue danced with his.

Jushiro slid his tongue over hers as he unlocked the cabinet door. The danger was past and the fresh air was needed. He was glad he had closed the blinds to the office. He moved his hands to the back of Naomi's neck and the middle of her back. He pulled her close to him as he delved deeper into her mouth.

~Naomi~

Naomi was having trouble catching her breath, but her mind didn't care. She couldn't get enough of the spark between them. She rested one of her hands on Jushiro's chest as the other went to his neck easily.

She was surprised how tall she was. She had always thought herself as small, but she came up to his chin at least.

She felt cool air tickle her hot skin as Jushiro broke their kiss and she opened her eyes. She looked into his grey eyes. There was more of a green spark in them now. She found herself captivated by them. She moved towards him again, but stopped when she heard the bell ring.

She backed away as her brain kicked back into hunted prey mode. She was making out with Ukitake-sensei while there were rumours going around that she was sleeping with her teachers? 'What am I doing?' She turned and ran out of the class room and down the hall till she was out of the school building.

She kept running till she found her self no longer running. It's hard to run when there is no ground beneath your feet. She closed her eyes as she saw the world spinning around her. She didn't do to well with spinning rides at amusement parks. She opened them when she felt her feet back on the ground and arms wrap around her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She settled into Jushiro's reassuring arms. She liked his shingami uniform more than his nurses coat, it was warm and comforting, just like him. "I'm sorry, Naomi-chan."

"You can drop the 'chan'." She spoke softly not knowing if that was the right thing to say.

Jushiro smiled as he heard her soft whisper. "Then you can call me Jushiro." He smiled as he kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. His eyes widened as he felt a pain in his chest. 'Not now.'

Naomi noticed his muscles tense. She pulled a cloth she used as a handkerchief out of her pocket and handed it to him.

He took the cloth and began coughing heavily. He fell to his knees and still continued to cough.

"I'm surprised the guy is still alive." Naomi turned to see two men in black and red shinigami clothes standing a short distance away from her and Jushiro. "Should we kill him or leave him to suffer?" Jaken smiled as he saw the girl tense at the sight of them.

"Jaken don't be mean. You can kill him." The bald man spoke while facing the girl standing still as a statue in front of the still coughing man.

"But can't you see him Yuri. He's at the end of his rope." Jaken grinned playfully at his little joke he had made. Yuri was blind and refused to have his eyes fixed.

"You're not laying a hand on him." Naomi didn't know why she had spoken up. She just had a very strong desire to protect the man behind her. It baffled her and empowered her at the same time.

"Oh-ho. Little Hime-chan wants to play with us now?" Jaken smirked at the girl. "What happened to thinking we were just a figment of your imagination? We aren't real. We are just a part of your mind that wants to see you kill yourself for all of the terrible things you've done. The little part of you that you threw away whenever you acted out." Jaken laughed while repeating what most of her shrinks had told her during so many of her sessions of therapy she had been forced to go to.

Naomi narrowed her eyes at the mohawk man. She had recognized his hair easily. He had ruined her chance at being in a family multiple times. She hated him for it.

"Now, now Jaken. Remember she can kill us easily. Although it seems she has had a restriction put on her." Naomi tensed and took a step back as she saw the bald man prepare to attack. "Master Sai-sama was right. We should have killed her earlier. Her restrictions are already at their limit."

Naomi stiffened as she lost sight of the two men. She felt herself get picked up and placed on the ground several feet away from an explosion. "How fast can you move?" She looked up to see Jushiro's pale face. She was worried, but still amazed at what he was capable of.

Jushiro had barely made it in time. This fit was stronger than the rest. 'I don't know if I can make it, but I have to protect Naomi.' Jushiro narrowed his eyes as two figures came shooting out of the dust cloud.

Naomi took a step forward. "Shakkaho!" She held her hand up and watched in amazement as a red energy ball shot towards the two men. She looked back at her hand. 'So now it works?'

Jushiro looked at the girl beside him in amazement. "How do you know kido?"

Naomi looked at him in confusion. "Kido? I learned that in a book my parents left for me when they died. But it's never done that. It usually doesn't do anything, even when I use the incantations." She turned back to the two men trying another attack. She held up her hand. "Hado 54: Haien!" She watched in amazement as a purple ball shot off and hit the mohawk man's foot. She felt a wave of fatigue run through her, but she locked her knees to keep from swaying.

"Gah!" Jaken rolled around as he tried to put out the flame that was eating away at his leg. It spread to his other leg. "Gah! Yuri! Help me!"

Yuri looked towards his partner and drew his zanpakutou. He slashed down and cut off Jaken's head. "Oops. I couldn't see what part I was suppose to save."

"That's sick. You just killed your own partner." Naomi placed a hand over her mouth. She had never seen anyone get killed in front of her. The sight sickened her.

~Jushiro~

Jushiro pulled her close as he saw her pale a bit from the sight of the decapitated man. He turned her so her eyes didn't see the corpse. "You don't stand a chance anymore. We know you're weak to kido."

Yuri grinned at the shinigami. "That's true, but we have taken precautions to protect us from our weak-" He was stopped by the lack of air in his lungs. He looked down to see two blades sticking out of his chest.

"You have a minute to tell us who you are." Shunsui spoke in a deadly tone. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

The bald man chuckled as blood dropped down his chin. "Long live the King." With that he stepped forward and pulled himself off of Shunsui's blades. He fell face first into the ground, dead.

Shunsui rolled his eyes and growled in frustration. "How long are we going to go with out answers!?" Shunsui concentrated Reiatsu on one of his blades and sent out a pressure wave off of its edge. "This is so frustrating!"

"Calm down Shunsui. I'm sure Ise-san has found something about them by now." Jushiro chuckled a bit and wondered if this was how Shunsui had felt while he was angry.

Shunsui was going to reply when he heard his phone go off. He opened it and held himself back from yelling into it. "Kyoraku...really...understood, we're on our way." He closed the phone and sheathed his zanpakutou. "We are leaving for Soul Society. She is coming with us."

Jushiro was surprised at the decision that was made, but he wasn't going to complain. "How long till they get a Senkaimon open that she can pass through?" As he finished a gate opened beside them. "That long I guess." He gently pulled Naomi away from him. "I'm going to take you somewhere safe." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her into the gate.

Shunsui shot his friend a questioning look. He got an eye roll in return. Shunsui couldn't contain the chuckle that left his lips. He couldn't have asked for a better solution to his friend's depression. Shunsui was glad Naomi had found someone to comfort her. She felt like a little sister to him.

~Naomi~

Naomi still felt a bit light headed, but could still manage to walk properly. She didn't pay attention much to her surroundings after she passed through the initial light leading into the strange gate thing. She started to pay attention once they passed through another bright gate.

She looked around her. They seemed to be in a courtyard of some sorts. She was surprised at how vast the world around her was. "Is this Soul Society?"

Naomi looked back towards Jushiro and saw a smile on his face. She knew she had let her excitement leak onto her voice. "Yes. This is Soul Society, and right now we are in Seireitei. Residence of the Gotei 13 and all shinigami."

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Please leave a comment or a question. Any type of feedback would be appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

Naomi was fascinated by Seireitei. It was so large and she thought the buildings looked beautiful. She couldn't help but be a little enthusiastic.

"Come along, Naomi-chan. Someone wants to meet you." Shunsui started walking away from the glowing gate thing.

"Who? And what did we just come through? The strange glowing circle thingy." Naomi started following the pink clad man with a bit of a skip in her step.

"Yamaji wants to meet you of course. He's the head shinigami." Shunsui smiled down at the curious girl. "And the strange glowing circle thingy is called a Senkaimon. It's how we shinigami travel from Soul Society the the World of the Living."

Naomi absorbed all that she could from the man. She looked around at the walls and buildings around her. She caught sight of something on one of the walls. "2?"

Jushiro put an arm around her shoulder to keep her walking. He smiled at her. "That is a 2nd squad building. We are heading to 1st squad."

"So there are thirteen squads, right? I want to see all of them!" Naomi found this place the most interesting place she had ever been to.

It helped her relax when she noticed other shinigami. None had red in their uniform. She hid a bit when she did notice a bit of red, but was still relaxed since she was near Jushiro and Shunsui.

"Hello there, Abarai-kun." Shunsui tipped his hat to the red head. "Is it just a Taichou meeting? I thought Fukutaichous would be at the meeting as well."

"Kyoraku-Taichou. No, it's just for Taichous. Although I believe Ise-Fukutaichou will be there because she found something about the Reiatsu you guys have been monitoring." Naomi looked curiously at the red head.

He seemed friendly, but his hair was a little unnerving. 'What am I talking about? My hair if freakin purple!' She stepped out from behind Jushiro and gave the man a smile. "Hello."

Naomi watched with curiosity as the red head looked at her with a surprised look. "Hi." He waved at her as she continued to smile as the three of them moved past the slightly confused red head.

They didn't stop and greet anyone else along their way, but many people greeted the two men. They walked into a building with a number "1" written over the door. They walked down a very long hall till they came to a large room in front of a set of large double doors. There were people standing in front of the door. They all had white coats-haoris...'need to remember that.' Naomi chastised herself.

"So this is the little anomaly. Nothing too special. I can't even feel any reiatsu coming from her. How can she stand the pressure?" Naomi backed away a bit from the strange man. He had white skin and abnormally large yellow teeth. He scared her a bit. "What's the matter? Afraid? You shouldn't be. There is nothing special about you, other than you being unaffected by reiatsu."

"Don't be so mean, Kurotsuchi-Taichou. Naomi-chan is quite a special girl. Why aren't we in the meeting hall yet?" Shunsui smiled at the painted man as he directed the question towards the other shinigami.

"Yamamoto-sama is in a private meeting." A very large man that looked like a fox spoke calmly.

Naomi stared at the man. 'He looks so fluffy!' She smiled when the man noticed her staring. "Hello."

Everyone was now looking at the purple haired girl. She seemed normal enough to them.

The doors to the meeting hall slowly creeped open. Naomi looked into the room and found it to be mostly empty. The only people on the room was an old man sitting on a chair, 'must be Yamamoto-sama.', a man with a handle bar moustache, 'who's that guy?', and Nanao-chan, 'does she ever smile?'.

All of the shinigami filed into he room and formed two lines. Jushiro led Naomi into the room and told her to stand in a specific spot. He also told her yo only speak when spoken to.

She stood there with a bit of nervous tension running through her. The old man was staring at her intently. 'It's like he is trying to crush my soul. Although I don't feel anything." Naomi stood her ground and kept her back straight. She wasn't going to be intimidated.

The doors closed behind her and a silence began. The silence was broken by the old man in the chair. "You are Katsumoto Naomi. Yes?"

Naomi swallowed before answering. "Yes." She was glad her voice sounded strong instead of how weak she felt looking at the old man. He was definitely not someone to mess with.

"I have been informed that you are in possession of a very rare form of reiatsu. One that can not be felt, but can be detected by certain instruments." The old man spoke while not taking his eyes of the girl.

"Who informed you of this?" Naomi recognized the painted man's voice, Kurotsuchi-Taichou.

"I did." Everyone turned to another shinigami that was standing at the front with the old man. He had blond hair and seemed to hold himself proudly. "Hamata Soka of the Royal guard. I have been sent here to protect Hime-sama."

"Hime-sama?" Jushiro was confused. What was he saying? Was Naomi...Royalty?

"Yes. Hime-sama is Akana-sama's daughter. She is the granddaughter of the Soul King, and next in line to the throne." Naomi looked at the man with curiosity. No one had ever told her, her mother's name. Nor did she ever hear about having other family. "I have been sent here to keep her safe and return her to his Majesty's palace."

Naomi just stared at the blond standing at the front of the room. 'Who is this guy?' She shook her head and looked back at the man. "I think you-" she felt a sharp pain in her hand. She lifted her hand and noticed a circle on the back of her hand. She looked at her other hand and saw the same symbol there. She touched it timidly and saw that it wasn't just on her skin, it was tattooed on. "What the heck?! When did those get there?"

"They have always been there. You just haven't been in a high enough Reishi concentration nor have a high enough reiatsu for them to be able to appear." Soka was surprised by her outburst. "They are a sign of your birthright as the next heir."

"Next heir? Why me?" Naomi didn't believe that whoever her grandfather was, would pick someone as young as she was as his heir. She didn't even know how to act like a Royal.

"There is no one else. Your uncle was disowned after he killed Akana-sama and her husband. There is no other that can take the throne. But do not worry. You have plenty of time to learn how to fill your role as a Royal before you will have to take the throne." Soka smiled at the little girl before him. The last time he had laid eyes on her, she was just an infant with a few lilac curls.

"Uncle?" Naomi's head was starting to spin. 'This is too much.'

"Why yes. Katsumoto Sai. Your father took on your mother's name. Your uncle is your mother's brother. He is currently on the loose and looking to take your birthright from you. He is using an old disbanded squad that used to be under the direct control of the Soul King, the King squad." Soka continued on, not worrying about the dizzy look that was creeping on Naomi's face. "He has been searching for you for many years. We have had to interfere a few times, but only so that you could hopefully disappear in the World of the Living. But it seems he has gotten better at discovering you-"

"Please stop talking!" Naomi couldn't take anymore information. She found out she has family that is alive. A grandfather that has tried to leave her in the World of the Living, and an uncle that was trying to kill her. She couldn't take in anymore. She blacked out.

~Jushiro~

Jushiro saw her begin to fall, but before he could move the blond man caught her. Jushiro kept his face passive as he calmed the rage going through him.

Soka lifted Naomi in his arms. "I will take Hime-sama to the room you have prepared for her. Make sure no one disturbs her." The blond man from the Royal Guard left the meeting hall with the purple haired girl in his arms.

Jushiro was upset that he had basically been told to stay away from her. He didn't like the man.

"How did the Royal Guard get involved? Other than who she is of course. How did they find out we had found her?" Shunsui was a bit suspicious of the man. He said he was there to protect her, but he had basically forced all of that information on to her. Information that upset her greatly, and he hadn't cared what damage it had caused on her mental health.

"That would be my doing, Kyoraku-Taichou." Nanao fixed her glasses as she address her Taichou. "While I was searching in the data base for information on the red shinigami. A flag came up and the computer shut down and wouldn't let me back on. So I assume they had set up something to tell them if someone ever searched for that information. I assume they don't want the red shinigami to become common knowledge."

"How long ago was this?" Kurotsuchi asked with an displeased grin. He wanted to study the girl's mentality more. She seemed to be able to withstand a bit of mental stress, but she seemed uncomfortable from the beginning of the encounter.

"Hamata Soka showed up this morning." Yamamoto was surprised at how quickly a member of the Royal Guard had shown up. "This is a very serious matter. For now there will be no interaction with Katsumoto Hime-sama unless she requests it." With that he stamped his staff on the ground and ended the meeting.

Jushiro was about to leave when he felt a gentle hand on his arm. He looked to see Unahana smiling at him. "I would like to see if your health has improved at all."

"Of course." Jushiro followed the woman to 4th squad. He was a bit relieved when he noticed Shunsui following them. "You don't have to shadow me you know. I can tell when you do."

Shunsui smiled as he walked up beside his friend. "Can't get anything past you, can I?" The three walked in a comfortable silence to the hospital.

They all walked to the familiar room that Jushiro used while he was in extended care at the hospital. Jushiro sat on the bed while Unahana did some checks and drew a bit of blood. "I'll be back soon." Unahana left with a smile on her face and her samples in her hand for testing.

"Seems you've improved judging by the smile on her face. You think it's because of a certain cutie?" Shunsui winked at his friend playfully.

Jushiro couldn't help but blush. "That's completely beside the point. Besides, I can't even see her anymore." Jushiro slumped his shoulders in sadness. He was missing her already.

"But Yamaji said it was okay to see her if she requests you, and I'm sure she will. She was clinging to you quite a bit." Shunsui was glad his friend had found someone.

The two friends just smiled as a silence settled between them. Several long minutes passed.

"I wonder what's taking Retsu-sempai so long?" Jushiro was about to get off the bed when he felt a familiar tightening in his chest. He reached for the towel on the bedside table. The coughs were weak at first, but quickly grew stronger till he fell off of the bed and onto his knees.

"Jushiro!" Shunsui was beside his friend in a heartbeat. He had never seen one of his fits turn so violent so quickly. He used healing kido to try and lessen the pain, but it didn't seem to be helping. He grew even more worried when his friend passed out as the towel dropped to the floor with a sickening slap. "Jushiro!" He picked his friend up gently and laid him down on the bed. "Jushiro!"

~Naomi~

Naomi slowly opened her eyes. She looked around the ornately decorated room she was in. She tried to sit up, but found the blankets she was under very heavy. She struggled for a few minutes before managing to push them off of her. She looked at herself to see that she had been changed into a red and gold stitched black yukata.

"WHAT IS THIS!?" Naomi blushed as she thought of who might have changed her out of her school uniform. She wrapped her hands around herself and blushed even more when she realized she wasn't wearing her bra anymore.

"Hime-sama?! What's wrong." The blond haired man from the meeting opened the door quickly, he had a hand on his sword. He dodged a pillow that was thrown at his head.

"WHERE THE HELL AM I? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" She yelled as she stood up and readied another pillow to throw.

"You are in one of the guest rooms in 1st squad barracks in Seireitei. I would have preferred to take you back to your grandfather's palace, but this will do for now." Soka sighed as he took his hand off of his zanpakutou. There was no threat in the room. He bowed as he closed the door.

"Wait!" She was about to run after him when she realized another door was opening behind her.

"I am here to help dress you, Hime-sama." Naomi was glad to see the familiar glasses of Nanao-chan.

Naomi could have hugged the girl, but decided against it. The floor looked cold and she had no socks on. "Wonderful." She was glad to be handed her bra back. She quickly slipped it on as she took off the heavy, thick black yukata.

Nanao helped the girl dress in a regular shinigami uniform. "Now for the last touch." Naomi couldn't hear what Nanao was saying under her breath, but was amazed to see her hair change from purple to black. Nanao then turned the girl around and braided her hair. "Shall we?" Nanao indicated to the door she had come through.

Naomi followed after the girl. Their socked feet making no noise on the polished floor. She smiled as they left the room and headed down the hall after putting their sandals on. She laughed as she thought of getting to see Seireitei, and giving the blond baka the slip.

"Ise-Fukutaichou!" Both girls turned to see a man running towards them. It was the man with the handle bar moustache. "Yamamoto-Soitaichou requests your presence."

"Very well. Can you escort her to 2nd squad? Tell Omaeda-Fukutaichou that she is the shinigami the Fukutaichous are introducing to their squads today." Nanao spoke calmly to her fellow Fukutaichou.

"So she is the lucky winner of the draw. Very well." The two bowed as Nanao headed down another hallway. "Shall we go miss..."

"Naomi. Pleased to meet you Fukutaichou-san." Naomi bowed and gave him a smile. She hoped he wouldn't figure out who she was and escort her back to the stupid room with the stupid heavy yukata.

"Sasakibe-Fukutaichou please Naomi-san." He started walk down the hall and Naomi quickly caught up with him.

'This is going to be fun!' Naomi almost couldn't contain her excitement. 'Twelve squads to get through before I can be with Jushiro! Can't wait.'

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Is it bad that I am enjoying leaving cruel cliffhangers? Please leave a comment or a question.


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

Naomi looked at the buildings around her in amazement. The buildings were large and beautiful. She was amazed at the details. She was walking behind Sasakibe-Fukutaichou as he led her to 2nd squad.

"Here we are. Omaeda-Fukutaichou!" Naomi looked towards the gate to see a fairly large man standing there. "Here is the girl that has won the draw for meeting all of the squads. When you have finished, pass her on to Kira-Fukutaichou." With that he turned and headed back to 1st squad.

"Hello, Omaeda-Fukutaichou. I am Katsumoto Naomi. It's nice to meet you." Naomi gave him a smile and was glad no Fukutaichous other than Nanao and Sasakibe had been at the meeting.

"Hey. So this is 2nd squad. It is also combined with the Onmitsukido since Sui-Feng-Taichou is the head of it. So we deal with mostly special ops missions." Omaeda led the girl inside the squad building.

Naomi looked around her and was happy to see other shinigami around. She was even happier to not see any red. "Wow. This is amazing."

"If you like it that much, you should apply for 2nd squad when you graduate." Omaeda was surprised how interested the girl was in the squad. "Want to learn something?"

Naomi didn't know what he meant by graduate, but she didn't let it show. "Really!" Naomi was really excited. What was she going to learn? Stealth? Throwing ninja stars? Moving really fast?

Omaeda smiled and used shunpo to get behind her. He smiled even more when she turned with a shocked face. "This is called shunpo."

"COOL!" Naomi was excited. Now she could keep up with Jushiro. "How did you do that?"

"Hold your hand out and concentrate your reiatsu into a ball. Like this." Naomi watched in amazement as a glowing ball started to grow in the palm of his hand.

Naomi held out her hand and pictured a small ball appearing there, smiling when one did. She stopped it from growing once it was the size of a golf ball. "Now what?"

"You can let it fade. Your going to use the same mentality for making the ball form to cause a plate to form on the bottom of your foot." He waited till she nodded till he continued. "Once you have the plate, you launch yourself off of it." He shunpoed behind her again to show her.

Naomi nodded and focused on the ball of her foot and concentrated on picturing a plate beneath her foot. She waited till she felt she was ready, then pushed off of it. She face planted into a wall. "Ouchy!" She rubbed her nose as she pulled herself out of the dent she had created. She looked behind her to see Omaeda standing on the other end of the training field. 'I moved that far?'

Omaeda was surprised at how easily she got it. 'I must be a good teacher.' He shunpoed to where she was, on the other side of the 500 foot wide training area. 'She can go far. I wonder if she could have gone farther if the wall hadn't been there.'

"I did it! Did you see that? How do you go shorter distances?" Naomi was glad she could move so far, but she wanted to make sure she could do short distances as well.

"You just have to use less reiatsu next time." Omaeda was surprised to find himself happy the girl had accomplished shunpo. "Come on. I need to get you to 3rd squad. You have a lot of places to be today. Try to keep up."

Naomi followed after the Fukutaichou with her newly acquired shunpo. She was surprised how fast the large man could move. They stopped in front of a gate with a blond haired man standing beside it.

Naomi could tell it wasn't the Royal Guard member, Soka. So, she assumed this was Kira-Fukutaichou.

"So this is the draw winner?" The blond spoke to his fellow Fukutaichou.

"Yep. Take good care of her." Omaeda waved at Naomi with a smile and returned to his squad.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kira-Fukutaichou. My name is Katsumoto Naomi." Naomi smiled at the man. He looked a little emo to her.

"Pleasure to met you too." Kira was surprised at how calm the girl was. Most Academy students would be too excited to let him speak. "This is 3rd squad. We currently don't have a Taichou and we really don't have a specialty."

"Why don't you have a Taichou?" Naomi was confused, did some squads not have Taichous.

Naomi noted Kira's slightly discomfort at the question. She was going to apologize, but he spoke first. "He betrayed Seireitei. He is a criminal. And we haven't gotten a replacement yet."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up." Naomi hated to make people feel uncomfortable.

"Don't worry. It's what happened. And it can't change, no matter how much I wish it could." Naomi frowned a bit at the sadness in his voice.

Kira shook his head to get thoughts of his Taichou out. "Who is this, Kira-Fukutaichou?" Both of them looked up to see shinigami coming over to see who the new girl was.

"This is Katsumoto Naomi. She won the draw to spend the day with all the Fukutaichous. So today she is getting shown around all of the squads." Kira smiled at his squad.

"Hi! It so nice to meet you all." Naomi gave them all a wave and a smile. She liked these shinigami.

"Excuse me, Kira-Fukutaichou?" Kira and Naomi turned to see a tall woman with silver hair standing with her arms crossed in front of her. "I'm here to pick up the draw winner."

"That would be me. Katsumoto Naomi, Fukutaichou-san." She didn't know this one's name, but she was sure it would come up eventually. She walked towards the woman and waved goodbye to Kira and the rest of 3rd squad. "Your the Fukutaichou of 4th squad? What's 4th squad like?"

"Yes. I'm Kotetsu Isane. Pleased to meet you." Isane was surprised by the girls gentleness. She would have thought she had heard the rumours about how weak 4th squad was and want nothing to do with them, but she seemed genuinely interested in learning about the squad. Before Isane could explain what the squad did, Naomi spoke up again.

"Does 4th squad have a specialty?" Naomi was having fun visiting all the squads so far.

"Yes. We deal with healing. And providing supplies to shinigami on the battlefield." Isane was glad the girl was so enthusiastic. "Unahana-Taichou is very busy at the moment though, so you can't meet her sadly."

Naomi waved her hand at the Fukutaichou, this was a good thing. "It's okay. I'm sure I'll eventually meet her once I graduate. Even if it's because I need major healing." Naomi smiled but didn't laugh at the semi joke she had made. It wasn't funny to laugh at someone's injury.

"True." Isane smiled, she knew how to lighten the mood while not making fun of people's pain. "I get to have you for a little longer since there is no one in 5th squad that can show you around. Sorry you don't get to go through all of the squads."

"It's alright. I'm sure I'll find out about them closer to graduation." Naomi was a bit sad about missing out on one of the squads, but she could live with it. "Can you show me how you heal people?"

Isane looked surprised at the girl. Almost no one out of the recruits that went through an introduction to the squad asked if they could see how they heal people. "S...sure." She led the girl into the hospital and down one of the halls and past many closed doors.

Naomi was fascinated by the hospital. It was just as busy and well equipped as one in the real world, it just looked primitive. She was amazed at how many people were in the waiting room. "Why are there so many here?"

"This is a normal amount. Most of them are from 11th squad. Their Taichou can be a little over zealous during their training." Isane was a little worried about when the girl got to 11th squad during her tour. She didn't have a zanpakutou with her..."Where is your zanpakutou? Usually students have theirs by their final year."

"I left it at my dorm. My roommate said I wasn't allowed to bring it." Naomi quickly though of an excuse and decided to stick with it. She only partially remembered what Orihime told her about zanpakutous.

"I don't believe that was said in the draw rules. Oh well. I'm sure if they ask you to spar they will just use the practise swords." Isane couldn't fully remember what the rules had said about the winner being unable to bring their zanpakutou with them.

Isane led her through a set of double doors and to one of the beds. "Hello Ikkaku-san. Do you mind if I use your help with demonstrating how healing kido works?"

Naomi stared at the bald man. He seemed a bit annoyed. 'Probably from the long wait.' Naomi gave him a smile when he looked her way.

"Is this the student that won that draw the Fukutaichous made up? Sure go ahead." Ikkaku laid back and waited for them to be done with healing him.

"The main thing with healing kido, is to be gentle. We aren't trying to harm, we are trying to mend." Isane gathered reiatsu on her hand and held it over a cut on the man's arm. The wound slowly closed up and left no trace of it ever being there. "Would you like to try?"

"I'm not sure-" Naomi was cut of by the man.

"Go ahead. I can survive if you mess up." Ikkaku couldn't feel any reiatsu coming from the girl, but you couldn't feel any from his Fukutaichou either. So he didn't doubt that the girl could do it.

Naomi nodded and gathered reiatsu over her hand like a glove. She held it over a bruise on the mans chest. She thought of calming things and gently let her reiatsu seep into the wound. She jumped a bit when she heard a snap. "Don't worry. You just popped a rib back into place." Naomi sweat dropped but continued till there was no longer a bruise.

"See. I can survive it." Naomi smiled and giggled at the bald man's words. "You both gonna finish healing me or can I leave already?"

"You aren't healed yet. And if you just leave without being fully healed, then why come here in the first place?" Naomi crossed her arms and gave the man an angry look.

"Um...excuse me." The three looked up to see a red haired man standing in the doorway. "I'm here to pick up the draw winner."

Naomi swallowed as she recognized the man she had met with Shunsui and Jushiro earlier. She walked over to him and gave him a smile. "Right here. Thank you for showing me healing kido, Kotetsu-Fukutaichou. Thank you for letting me practise on you, Ikkaku-san." She quickly left the room and followed the red haired man.

"Weren't you with Kyoraku-Taichou and Ukitake-Taichou earlier?" Naomi was hoping he wouldn't remember her, but it seemed he did. "When did you change your hair? Aren't you suppose to be in 1st squad being isolated from everyone because you're-"

Naomi turned and glared at the man. "No one can tell me what to do. Especially not that pompous man. Here, I am Katsumoto Naomi. A student who won a draw and gets to meet all the Fukutaichous and visit with all of the squads. No more, no less." Naomi smiled at the man. "Understood, Abarai-Fukutaichou?"

"Good to see you remember names. Okay I get it. You don't like being treated like royalty, fine by me." Naomi smiled as the man started walking a bit in front of her, she didn't know where she was going.

"So what squad are you in?" Naomi saw what she assumed was 5th squad barracks. They walked past it with out stopping.

"I'm in 6th squad under Kuchiki-Taichou. He asked me to make sure you learned a bit of swords play. He hates seeing people use unrefined styles of fighting." Naomi followed after the guy with a smile on her face. "I assume you don't have a zanpakutou."

"Yep, but for now I'm saying that I left it in my dorm room." Naomi looked around at the buildings as they walked past them. She smiled as they walked through the gate that had a large '6' written on it. "So tell me about 6th squad. What do you guys specialize in?"

"Nothing really. Only 2nd and 4th have specialties really. We are mostly known as the honour squad though. We uphold honour." Naomi instantly had respect for the man And his squad. "Come on. We have spare equipment we use for practise so that people don't release their zanpakutou in a test of skills."

Naomi followed him through the buildings till the reached a small little shed near an open field. "Let's start!" Naomi timidly took the sword she was handed and followed Abarai to the training area.

~Jushiro~

Blinding light seeped into his eyes as he slowly opened his eyes. His throat felt scratchy and his head felt light. He turned his head slightly and caught sight of the machine causing an annoying beeping sound. He sighed heavily remembering what had happened.

"Jushiro?" Jushiro smiled weakly at his friend that was suddenly at the side of his bed. "Thank goodness you're alright. We thought we lost you at a few points." Shunsui was worried when his friend had collapsed.

"What happened?" Jushiro's voice cracked and crocked as he spoke. He smiled as his friend handed him a glass of water.

"After you collapsed, your Reiatsu almost snuffed itself out. Retsu managed to keep it from doing that. It seems your health has gotten worse." Shunsui tried to hold back his tears, Unahana had told him the results of Jushiro's tests.

Jushiro closed his eyes and leaned back on his pillow. "How long?" He didn't want to hear it, but he knew he needed to.

Shunsui didn't want to tell him, but couldn't hold it back from his friend. "A week at best, three days at worst." Shunsui couldn't believe it was the end. The day he never thought would come, never wanted to come, was here. He couldn't hold back anymore. "I'm going to miss you." A tear slid down Shunsui's face and fell onto the crisp white sheet.

"I'm not dead yet! So don't go digging my grave."Jushiro sat up slowly and stretched. "I have to get back to my squad. I'm sure there are two people who are worried about me." He threw the covers off of his legs and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You should wait till Retsu gets back." Shunsui was worried his friend would hurt himself.

"I'm okay Shunsui." He put a hand on Shunsui's shoulder as he dressed in his uniform and walked back to his squad. He didn't remember the last time he felt so alive. He laughed at his own thoughts. 'I feel so alive when I'm so close to death.'

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Please leave a comment or a question. Feedback would be wonderful.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Bleach.

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~Naomi~

Naomi was now making her way towards 8th squad with Nanao walking beside her. She had learned quite a bit from Renji. He had called her a natural at sword skills. She had, had fun with Komamura-Taichou. He had let her brush his hair as he told her about the history of the Gotei 13. She had found it fascinating. She was glad he hadn't insisted that she return to 1st squad, and he also promised not to tell Soka-baka where she was heading.

"Here is the office. You will rarely ever find Kyoraku-Taichou here." She opened the door and snapped her fan at the face in the doorway. "Unless he is looking for me." Nanao smiled a bit as she stepped into the office and passed her Taichou rubbing his injured nose.

"Nanao-chan is so cruel." Shunsui whined while holding his nose. "How has your day been, Naomi-chan?" He smiled towards the girl that was skipping into his office.

"It's gotten better, Shunsui-kun." She smiled at the pink clad man as she hugged him. He felt like an older brother, or what she thought an older brother would feel like.

"Enjoying your tour of the Gotei 13?" Shunsui had asked Nanao if she could somehow pull off some way of getting Naomi out of 1st squad and let her see all of the squads. 'I'm definitely going to be thanking her for this.'

"It's been so much fun! I learned to shunpo from Omaeda-Fukutaichou. Then when I went to 4th, Kotetsu-Fukutaichou taught me how to use healing kido. Then Abarai-Fukutaichou taught me a bit of sword fighting. I also just finished learning the history of the Gotei 13 from Komamura-Taichou. He let me brush his soft fur, it was so silky!" She couldn't contain her happiness at what she had learned. She loved learning new things. It was one of the reasons why she put up with all of the things the kids at school put her through.

"Maybe Nanao-chan can teach you some kido. She is very powerful." Shunsui smiled at the animated girl then at his Fukutaichou. "What do you say Nanao-chan? Can you teach her some kido?"

Nanao looked up from the paperwork that she was doing. "If you fill out the paperwork on your desk, I will consider it." She smiled as Shunsui trudged to his desk and began filling out the paperwork there. She got up and dropped more papers onto his desk. "Finish these as well. I have a student to mentor for a little while." She walked to the door with Naomi in front of her. She turned back to Shunsui and gave him a glare. "If those papers aren't done by the time I get back, you will not be leaving this office till they are done. And you will do any additional paperwork that shows up."

Naomi shivered at the threat the girl had given her superior. "Are you allowed to do that to your Taichou?"

"Probably not, but it's the only way to get him to do work. Plus it's fun to test out new kido on him." Nanao winked at the girl.

Naomi giggled as they made their way to the training grounds. "So what kido are we gonna try?" Naomi was excited to see if other spells from her book worked as well.

"Do you know any?" Nanao was surprised to get a nod from the girl. "Show me what you can do."

Naomi stood at the line drawn on the ground and held her hand up in front of her. "Hado 63: Raikoho." Thunder crashed down onto the target at the end of the field. Naomi smiled as she thought of what other kido she could possible do.

"Impressive." Nanao was surprised the girl could perform such a high level kido with no incantation. Only a few Fukutaichous could manage that. "Let's try another one. Repeat after me." Nanao stepped up to the firing line. "Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired." Nanao took a deep breath, this one was a mouthful. "Hado 91: Senju Koten Taiho."

Naomi watched as ten bright pink shots fired down the field. "Wow! You used that one when we first met right?"

Nanao looked at the girl surprised. "You remember?"

Naomi shook her head. "Only bits and pieces. I remeber that kido though. How did Jushiro send it back?" Naomi didn't know how Jushiro had bounced the kido back at the red shinigami when it missed them the first time.

"It's an ability that his zanpakutou has." Nanao stepped back and let the girl try out the kido. "Do you need me to repeat the incantation?"

"Nope." Naomi smiled as she held up her hands. "Hado 91: Senju Koten Taiho."

Nanao stared in amazement as the girl's kido shot down the field and blew most of it away.

"Oops. Looks like it was a bit too strong." Naomi smiled apologetically at the Fukutaichou. "Sorry Nanao-chan."

Nanao shook her head and sighed. "It's okay. How do you feel? You've done two high level kidos in a row. Do you feel drained at all?"

"A little light headed maybe, but nothing too terrible." Naomi was trying hard to stay on her feet. She was surprised how easily she could do the kido, but confused as to why she felt so drained afterwards.

"Nanao-san!" Both girls watched as a strawberry blond waved at them. "Is this the draw winner? She's so cute. I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, 10th squad Fukutaichou. Hisagi-kun says he can't take her, he's behind on paperwork. So I can take you early!" The blond wrapped her arms around the new girl' sneak and spun around with her. "You can call me Ran-chan if you like?"

"It's very nice to meet you Rangiku-chan. My name is Kataumoto Naomi. You can call me Naomi-chan." Naomi smiled at the woman, she seemed fun and laid back.

"Okay! Let's go!" Rangiku started walking away with the new girl.

"No going to a bar with her!" Naomi giggled as Rangiku slouched at the words. They both waved to Nanao as they walked towards another squad.

~Jushiro~

He sat by his pond and watched the water ripple in the breeze. He thought about pulling his hair tie out and letting his hair blow in the wind, but decided against it. He somewhat missed having it pulled back.

He sighed as he sipped his tea. He jumped a little at the sound of a fairly large explosion. '11th must be training really hard.' He took another sip as he realized something. 11th squad was in the opposite direction of the explosion.

"I wonder who is causing problems?" Jushiro stood up and walked back into his barrack for more tea.

"Hey handsome." Jushiro nearly threw his half full cup of steaming hot tea towards the intruder, but stopped when he realized it was just Shunsui.

"Please don't do that again. I nearly threw a cup of tea at you. That would have been a waste of perfectly good tea." Jushiro sighed as he tried to calm his racing heart. "Where have you been?" He walked out and sat back down on his porch to drink his tea.

"Nanao-chan made me do paperwork." Shunsui whined as he sat down and pulled out his bottle of sake.

"Good for her." Jushiro smiled thinking of what his friend's Fukutaichou could have used as leverage to make him work.

"It's not funny." Shunsui whined as he poured himself a cup of sake. "She wouldn't let me watch her and Naomi-chan practice kido."

Jushiro almost choked on his tea. "Naomi-chan? She's not stuck in first? What did you do?" He suspected his friend had something to do with it.

"Remember how the Fukutaichous made that draw to get students interested in their studies?" He waited for his friend to nod. "Well. I had Nanao-chan disguise herself as the maid that was going to help Naomi-chan get dressed. So she got her in a shinigami uniform and used a disguising kido that she made to change Naomi-chan's hair colour." Shunsui smiled at his great plan that he had created. "So now she is meeting all of the squads and getting a tour of Seireitei."

"That is brilliant. I'm mean you've come up with some rather elaborate plans before, but all of those were crazy and would have gotten us killed or arrested." Jushiro sipped his tea while rolling his eyes. "This one is completely different."

"You don't seem too happy. Is your illness bothering you?" Shunsui looked at his friend with concern.

"No. Just the fact that I'll be gone in a few days, and she still has her whole life ahead of her. I don't want her to feel like she has to grieve for me." He took another sip of his tea. "But I think it's already too late for that."

"Even if it wasn't, she still would. She needs you as much as you need her." Shunsui took a drip from his cup as he shifted his gaze to the now still pond.

"I just hope she finds someone else, and that she is happy." Jushiro reached back and pulled his hair tie out. He felt like letting his hair loose. He smiled as the wind picked up again and blew it out behind him.

Both men enjoyed a silent moment. That moment was interrupted by a loud crash.

"Sounds like 11th squad is having fun with Naomi-chan." Shunsui sweat dropped a little. He hoped that she wasn't being too rough on them.

"You think it's a good idea for her to be at 11th?!" Jushiro was surprised his friend wasn't more worried about the girl. "What if she gets hurt? What if Kenpachi decides he wants to fight her?!" Jushiro knew worrying wasn't going to help his health, but he was more worried about Naomi.

"Don't worry. You should be more concerned about 11th squad getting torn apart. She's stronger than you think Jushiro." Shunsui drained his cup then poured himself another. "I wouldn't be surprised if Kenpachi decides to go all out against her. She is really strong."

"Really?" Jushiro wondered what his friend had witnessed while Naomi was at his squad. "Interesting."

"Did you feel that explosion a little while ago?" He got a nod from Jushiro. "That was our little Naomi-chan. Level 90 Hado without an incantation. Then she ran off with Rangiku-chan."

"Level 90?!" His jaw dropped more when Shunsui confirmed with a nod as he drank his sake. "Wow. Wonder how well she'll do against Kenpachi?"

"Probably very well. I better go. She is skipping 12th squad because Kurotsuchi refused to allow an Academy student into his squad building unless they were joining his squad." Shunsui got up and began walking towards the gate to the squad. "Have fun."

Jushiro stared at his friend with a smile on his face. Naomi was going to be in his squad building soon. He chuckled to himself as he got up to get himself another cup of tea and make another pot.

~Naomi~

Naomi waved goodbye to 11th squad and it's members. Most were bruised and beaten, but they were all smiling. Especially the Taichou, 3rd seated and 5th seated officers. She followed the pink haired Fukutaichou towards 13th squad barracks.

"Make sure you visit us again, and bring your zanpakutou next time so you can play with Ken-chan." The pink haired girl sounded like a child, but Naomi could tell she could be very scary.

"Okay Yachiru-chan, I promise I will." Naomi smiled at the girl. She shivered as they passed a building with a large '12' written on it. 'Avoiding that place.' She quickly followed after the small Fukutaichou.

"I wonder if Shiro has any sweets?" Naomi laughed at her nickname for Jushiro. "Hey Mimi? Do you like Shiro?" Naomi was caught off guard. She couldn't help the blush that crept onto her face. Yachiru giggled at the girl's reaction. "I knew it! Are you going to join his squad? If you do, then you'll be really close and can still play with Ken-chan!"

Naomi shook her head at the girl with a smile on her face. "Maybe I will, and then I can hang out with you as often as I want. Why didn't the Fukutaichou of 13th squad pick me up to take me there?" Naomi had been picked up by the Fukutaichou of each squad or was dropped of when she got to the next squad. But no one showed up to take her to 13th.

"Shiro doesn't have a Fukutaichou. He used to, but he died. Shiro can't find anyone that wants to be his Fukutaichou or is qualified to be it." Yachiru walked a little slowly so she could walk beside the girl. "Maybe you could be his Fukutaichou. Then we can hang out at every Fukutaichou meeting and eat sweets together!"

Naomi giggled at the girl's spoken thoughts. "Maybe." She smiled sadly as she thought of Jushiro. He had started to look paler than he did when they had first met. The only thing that had gotten brighter, was his eyes.

Yachiru jumped onto the girls back and wrapped her arms around her neck. "What's wrong Mimi? You seem sad."

Naomi locked her hands under the girl's knees to help hold her up. "Nothing is wrong, just over thinking things." She smiled as the girl punched her head lightly and yelled at her. The two laughed and talked till they reached a large gate with a '13' written on it.

"We're here! Come on!" Yachiru grabbed the girl' swarm and shunpoed with her.

"Kya!" Naomi was caught off guard, by both the speed and the timing. The sudden stop didn't help either, but she managed to stop before she fell into the pond. "Yachiru-chan! Warn me before you do that." She spoke in a voice that mimicked Shunsui's when he whined at Nanao.

"Sorry Mimi. Hi Shiro! Do you have any sweets?" Yachiru smiled at the white haired Taichou that walked out of his barrack to see what the noise was.

Naomi was glad to see him, but was saddened by his appearance. His hair was visibly thinner and his skin an unnatural pale colour. She could feel tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she noticed the bags under his eyes. What made it worse was seeing his smile. His smile that could melt her instantly, but only showed her what she was losing and what she couldn't save.

She turned away and draped her feet over the edge of the porch. Her feet were about an inch shy of touching the water. She looked out over the water as the breeze blew her hair out behind her.

She felt someone sit down beside her and run a hand through the unbraided part of her hair. She felt the gentle hand pull out her hair from its tie and run through it till it had no trace of the braid left in it. She felt a tingling spark run through her hair. She couldn't help but smile at the familiar feeling.

"Have you had fun?" Jushiro smiled at the girl beside him. The black hair she had walked in with was back to its natural purple color. He moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her closer.

Naomi smiled and leaned into him. "It was great, but I didn't get to see 5th or 9th squad. They were too busy or didn't have anyone to show me around. I'm guessing it's because of the war that you guys are in." She saw Jushiro astonished face. "Komamura-Taichou told me while I was brushing his hair."

Jushiro nodded at her reply. "What about 12th squad?"

"I am never going near that place, but Nemu-chan is sweet. She's just socially awkward." Naomi glanced at the man holding her. She saw his eyes watching her and she couldn't look away. 'How can he trap me so easily?'

She felt her hand move and felt his still silky hair run between her fingers. She leaned his head down and slowly closed her eyes. She held her breath when they were just breaths away from each other.

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I know, I am a terrible person. Please leave a comment or a question.


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Bleach.

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~Jushiro~

He closed his eyes slowly as he leaned closer to Naomi, but their lips never touched. He had to avoid a sword striking down at him. He grabbed Naomi and moved quickly away from the edge of the porch and the obviously angry man that landed there.

"Remove your hand from Hime-sama!" The enraged blond ran at them both with his zanpakutou aimed at Jushiro's heart.

Jushiro readied to move again, but Naomi stepped between the two men. "Stop it Soka-baka!" Jushiro was glad the man stopped immediately and knelt in front of Naomi.

Naomi was furious at the man, he interrupted a perfect moment. "What do you want?!" She growled at the man as she glared at him. She smiled wickedly as she saw him cringe a bit.

"You disappeared, Hime-sama. I was worried about you." Soka didn't dare to meet her eyes. She was very angry, and her anger was much like her mother's.

"Stop calling me that. I'm about as Royal as any other 18 year old. I don't know how to act like one, nor do I want to. And you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself." Naomi smiled as she thought about her time in 11th squad.

"But Hime-sama. You are royalty and as royalty you should not have to be among those of lower status than you-" He suddenly felt an extremely heavy presence settle over him.

Naomi didn't know what was going on, but she was angry beyond belief. She could feel a flame inside her burning to get out, but a sharp pain in her hand stopped the flame cold. She looked down and saw lines running between her fingers and connecting to another circular seal on her palm. "HOW MANY OF THESE FREAKIN THINGS DO I HAVE ON ME?!"

"Only one, but the outer seals are trying to keep you from killing yourself with all of your reiatsu returning to you at once." Soka was shaking a bit, she was much more powerful than her mother and much more scarier than her. She felt like the demon her father was known to be.

"Good to know." All three of them looked up to see a man in a red and black shinigami uniform. "Good to see you doing so well, Soka-kun. Thank you for caring for my niece so well."

Jushiro moved Naomi behind himself, she was frozen with fear and looked like she was about to break down crying. He sent out a flare of his reiatsu to notify the rest of Seireitei that something was going on.

"Now. Why don't you leave her to me? You are obviously very weak, and I doubt you stand even a slim chance against me." The man stepped down onto the porch while looking towards the white haired Taichou.

Soka stood on guard between Jushiro and Naomi, and the mystery man. "You are not permitted here, Sai-sama. Leave and never come close to Hime-sama again." He drew his sword and faced the man. The man chuckled and grinned wickedly at him. Soka's eyes widened. "RUN-" he was cut off by two cuts appearing on his chest.

Jushiro didn't stay to see what happened. He was running as far away from the mystery man as he could. He clutched Naomi close to his chest as he jumped from roof to roof. He was forced to stop atop the Sokyoku hill by his illness. He set Naomi down before his fit began. He coughed just into his hand, his sleeves were out of reach.

He felt Naomi place a hand on his back, the pain lessened but the coughing continued.

"So I don't even have to worry. I just have to wait for your lungs to give out on you. Pity you won't get to be cut down by my blade. Not many get to be cut down by the blade of a Royal." The man looked at his reflection in his gold blade. "You know, royals have a different type of zanpakutou than regular shinigami. We posses a second Bankai so to speak. A Gokai. Shall I show you?"

Jushiro stared in horror as Naomi stood between him and the man that was trying o kill her. "You will not touch him." He could hear a threat in her voice.

Sai laughed at his niece. "You think you can take me down by yourself, Naomi-chan?"

"She isn't by herself." Jushiro looked up from where he knelt and saw Shunsui standing beside him. "She has made quite a few friends while she has been here. I don't think you can take us all on."

"Katsumoto Sai." Everyone's attention was drawn to the Soutaichou. "You are banished from Soul Society and the Soul King's realm. You have also murdered a member of the Royal Family. We have recieved authority to kill you on site."

"Ha! You think you can kill me old man?! You all must be crazy!" The man held his zanpakutou in front of him. "Why don't I show you how powerless you are? Restrict their movements to seal their doom and bind them in your grasp that they may be dragged to hell, Kami no Sabaki!" His blade glowed as it grew and curved itself. The glow faded and left a curved silver blade with a gold edge.

His reiatsu jumped to one just barely below Taichou level. "One of Kami no Sabaki's abilities. If your reiatsu is lower than mine, then you won't be able to release your zanpakutou."

Jushiro could see some of the Fukutaichous realize that he was right. 'This is going to be hard-' He started coughing again.

~Naomi~

"Jushiro!" Naomi placed a hand on his back. Healing kido wasn't helping him. She was losing him, and she couldn't do anything.

"Taichous! Take him down!" Yamamoto unsealed his zanpakutou from its place in his staff. The other Taichous drew their swords and took ready stances.

"None of you are even a warm up for me!" Sai laughed at their actions.

Naomi pulled her thoughts away from the battle and towards Jushiro. He wasn't holding out well. She could feel tears running down her cheeks. As he laid his head on her shoulder, he was exhausted.

"Ukitake-san." Naomi looked toward the Taichou kneeling on the other side of Jushiro. She touched a glowing hand to his chest and closed her eyes. Her frown deepened as the seconds passed.

"Unahana-Taichou?" Naomi saw tears in the woman's eyes as she met Naomi's worried eyes. "Can you help him?" She ran a hand though his hair as she hugged him.

"No...there isn't." Unahana was past her breaking point. Jushiro was a long time friend to her. He had helped her to be more gentle.

The two woman were pulled out of their sorrow by a loud yelling. They turned to the battle that was now closer to them than before.

"You are all really quite annoying. Bankai!" A wind knocked the Taichous back to the same distance away as Naomi and her little group were. "Kaminoshi. Now how many of you can fight me!?" His Reiatsu was well above most of the Taichous. He flaunted two wakizashi with red blades as he grinned wickedly at the failing shinigami.

Shunsui stood up against the intense pressure. His Shikai was still released. And he could tell Yamamoto was still capable of fighting as well, but no one else. "Looks like I will have to use that."

"Shunsui." The 8th squad Taichou turned to the purple haired girl holding his dying friend in her arms. "Can you look after him?" Naomi looked him in the eye with a look of determination. She wasn't going to let her uncle win.

"Naomi-chan...alright." He put his swords down and held his friend. Jushiro was out cold and barely breathing. 'Hold on a little longer, Jushiro.'

"Is my little niece going to try and stop me. You can't do anything with those seals on." Sai mocked the girl as she stood closest to him out of all of the shinigami.

"Yamamoto-Soutaichou. Please put a barrier up to protect everyone. The air is about to become very heavy." Naomi waited till she felt the barrier. "Gods of time, sages of old, writers of fate and destiny. Hear my pleas and set my power free. To protect those with weakness is my mission, to take away their enemies that stand too great for them is my mission, and to lead them into peace is my destiny. By my name of Katsumoto, I claim my first inheritance." The seal on her left hand glowed, then shattered. Blue flames engulfed her body as her reiatsu returned to her.

"So you know how to release the seals. Impressive, but then that means that you are accepting your role as the heir. I can not have that." Sai growled as he launched himself at his niece.

Naomi dodged his a attack and countered with a series of kicks and punches. A few landed, but none did much damage. 'I need to release my right hand, but he isn't going to let me.' She jumped back and held her hands up, she waited. He appeared beside her, she turned to him. "Hado 888: Shinsei Hakai!" A blade of light slammed down on her uncle. She didn't waist time to see if he was hit or not.

"Gods of war and destruction, warriors of peace and honour, the dead long gone and sleeping. Give me strength to vanquish my enemy, give me the power to stand strong against the waves of this storm, give me a weapon to kill those that have wronged me." She gathered Reiatsu in her hand and blocked her uncle as the blade of light shattered. "I claim my second inheritance!" She saw the seal on her right hand shatter and force her uncle back.

"No!" Sai renewed his attack, but found his blade meeting another. "You may have been able to summon your zanpakutou, but you can t release it yet. You haven't learned its name." Sai sneered at his little sister's daughter as he tried to push her down.

"I already know it." She concentrated while she held his blade back with her own. 'Give me your strength.' She felt a warmth run through her as blue flame slept off her skin. "Show your divinity to those who think they stand above you and turn them back to the dust that they once where, Hinokami!" She smiled as her blade changed from its sliver colour to a bright golden colour. Flames licked at her blade and skin, she felt like a god of fire.

Sai held his ground, he was not going to fall to a mere child. And certainly not his weak sister's brat. "Snake bite!" He struck at the shield hoping to break it. He stood between his niece and the shield, there was no way he wouldn't hit it. 'Check...mate.'

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Please leave a comment or a question.


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own Bleach.

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~Jushiro~

He could hear fighting, but could not move. He felt his body against the ground, but his head was being supported. He recognized Shunsui's reitasu easily. He also felt Unahana's reiatsu trying to heal his failing lungs, but it was no use. They were beyond repair.

He tried to open his eyes, but they were heavy. "Jushiro?" He heard Shunsui whisper, it sounded like a plea. "Jushiro?"

Jushiro managed to pry an eye open he looked up at his friend's beaten face. "You don't look too good."

Shunsui chuckled at his friend's attempt at humour. "You don't look too good yourself there my friend."

Jushiro turned towards the glowing barrier beside him. "What's going on?" He noticed something flying towards them, but didn't know what it was. A figure suddenly appeared between the barrier and the attack. "Naomi?" Jushiro could feel his consciousness begin to slip. 'No. Not yet.' He tried to hold on, but he was too weak.

"Jushiro!" Shunsui felt his friend slipping. "Jushiro, stay with me. Just hold on a little bit longer." Shunsui held onto Jushiro's reiatsu with his own, he had done this before multiple times in the past. "Don't leave me yet. I still need you to help me."

~Naomi~

Naomi held her hand up towards the snake shaped attack flying towards her. "Danku!" A wall shot up and took the full force of the attack. It held, but cracked multiple times.

"Ha! Is that all you can do! Pathetic!" Sai held his blades in front of him and attacked. "This will be so easy. I just need to cut out your heart and release the final seal. Then my old man will finally be gone, and I will be the Soul King!" He lunged at Naomi with as much force as he could.

Naomi couldn't move. If she did, the barrier behind her would shatter and the reiatsu pressure she was standing in would crush most of them. So she did the one thing she could. She held her blade up in front of her. "Bankai."

Their blades met, and no ground was yielded. "I'm surprised you know how to fight with a naginata. Most find it only good for long ranged attacks." Sai taunted his niece, he had the better close combat weapon.

"Good thing Kami no Soken has got a nice little trick. Duplicate." Her staff shortened by about a foot, making it now four feet long with out the blade. She pulled her left hand away with another naginata in it. It was a copy of the one currently locked with Sai's wakizashis. She pushed against his blade and sent him backwards.

"It's interesting how royals poses the power of gods, yet some don't deserve it." She blocked his attack and slashed at him. The unbladed end hit his chin. "Join!" She connected the two ends of her naginatas. They fused together then shrunk down to only have a four and a half foot staff between them.

"Now you're just giving me and advantage!" He lashed out and caught her right thigh.

"Gah!" Naomi knew she had to finish this. "Duplicate!" She now had two double ended naginatas. She lashed out back at him. She got his right arm, right shin, and his left ear. "This ends here." She could feel her wound aching and her consciousness fading. She was losing too much blood.

"Gokai!" Sai was annoyed that this little brat made him have to go all out. "Kami no Kohai."

"Yamamoto!" She used her own reiatsu to lessen the pressure before it reached the shield behind her. She felt it grow strong enough and let the pressure go. She stared in horror as she caught sight of what her uncle had become. He had horns coming out of his head and large fangs. He looked like a demon.

"This is what Gokai is. It gives you the power of a god!" Sai growled at her as he spread the wings that were on his back. He launched himself at Naomi.

"You look more like a demon!" Naomi blocked him with her red bladed naginatas. "Where'd your zanpakutou go? You just going to fight me with claws."

"Not at all." He held one hand up over his head. A red ball formed into his hand, then spread out till a trident with green spikes was in his hand. "Die!"

Naomi backed away from his attack and landed on her right leg. It buckled beneath her. "Gah!" She slowly got up and faced her uncle.

"Why not use your Gokai? Afraid you'll become a monster like me?" Sai slowly walked towards the injured girl. This battle was done, he had his victory.

Naomi fused her naginatas back into one with her eyes downcast. "I'm not afraid of being a monster. But I would rather not use that, but I will use it to bring about your death." She flared her Reiatsu. "Gokai. Kami no Hisan."

Naomi spread out her black feathered wings and held her scythe in front of her. She looked like an angel of death.

"You will die here." She had no emotion in her voice.

"Go ahead and try. I will hold your heart in my hand and rule-" he stopped when he lost the air in his lungs. He looked down and saw half of his body gone.

"You could never take me down. I am much stronger than you. And I have not fallen to the darkness in my heart." Naomi sealed her zanpakutou fully. It disappeared in a flash of light. "I have embraced my darkness, and I let the light in my heart shine out."

"I'll kill you!" He flew into the air and prepared to launch another attack.

"It's useless." Sai was shocked to find Naomi standing beside him. "Hado 1000: Kidoho." Naomi held a hand to her uncles side. A flash and there was no trace of him left.

She landed softly on the ground and restricted her reiatsu back o it's nonexistent level. She walked over to the barrier and tapped it lightly, it shattered. She walked over to Jushiro and Shunsui. She placed a hand over Jushiro's heart, it was faint and weak. She smiled weakly as she shifted him into her arms.

"I love you, Jushiro." She leaned down towards his face till their foreheads touched. "Bakudo 777: Tenshinokisu." She tilted his head and gently kissed him. 'Please be happy.' She blacked out as a tear fell down her face.

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Please leave a comment or a question. Sorry for the short chapter.


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own Bleach.

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~Jushiro~

'Is this what death feels like. It feels like I'm sleeping. But if I'm sleeping, why do I hear Shunsui?' Jushiro tried to open his eyes, but a blinding light caused him to shut them tight. He grumbled in complaint.

"Jushiro?" As the white hair man finally got an eye open, he looked into the happy face of his friend. "You're awake!" Shunsui hugged his friend, it was a bit on the rough side. "It worked, it actually worked! You certainly found a smart little firecracker."

"Shun...sui...I can't...breath..." Jushiro tried to move his arms, but found them to be heavy and sluggish. He took a deep breath once his friend let go. "What happened? Where is Naomi?" Jushiro grew more concerned when his friend looked away from him. "What happened to her?"

"She's fine." Shunsui didn't know how to tell him. "You know how we found the book in the forbidden section? The one that said sorcery kido." He got a nod from his friend. "Well, it turns out that Naomi-chan knew some of them. She even managed to use the Kidoho." He saw the amazement in his friend's face. "I know. Then she used another one on you. I checked the reference, and it did exactly as it said. Your cured."

"What? You mean, I'm not going to die?" Jushiro could have sworn his jaw hit his lap. It was unbelievable, cured by a forbidden kido. Why had Unahana not thought of that earlier?

"That's what all of the tests say." Both men looked toward at he 4th squad Taichou standing in the doorway. Unahana smiled at the two. "Your free to leave once you feel up to it." She turned and nearly skipped down the hall, but she was in the hospital. You walk in hospitals. Plus, it was not the time to celebrate.

"Where's Naomi?" Jushiro managed to throw the covers off of his legs and shift himself to the edge of the bed. After a few minutes of silence he looked at his friend with a serious face. "Where is Naomi, Shunsui?"

"She's not here Jushiro." He saw his friend worry instantly. "She's not dead. She's just in the World of the Living resting at Urahara's."

"Why is she there? Couldn't she have recovered here?" Jushiro started putting on the layers of his uniform.

"She couldn't stay here. The only reason she is still alive is because she came here in her human body. If she hadn't...she would have vanished after using that kido on you." Shunsui remembered the chaos that ensued after Naomi had collapsed. He himself had taken Naomi to the World of the Living and asked Urahara to heal and look after the girl.

"She used that much reiatsu...to save me?" Jushiro thought about that for a moment that seemed to last for ever. "What else did it cost her to do that?"

Shunsui stayed silent, he didn't want to tell him. He tilted his sakkat down and walked to the door. "We should go visit Naomi-chan. I'm sure she is probably waking up around now. Plus I'm sure Nanao is getting tired of being away from me for so long." Shunsui wanted to avoid the topic for now, but he knew it would come up again. Or Jushiro would find out on his own.

Jushiro followed after his friend after tying his hair back. He was still a bit sore, but not as much as after a hard training session with Shunsui. So he could deal with it.

He was worried about Naomi, but he had a smile on his face. He could still be with her.

"Ukitake-Taichou!" Jushiro turned and saw his two 3rd seated officers running towards him. He could tell they had been crying, but they had large smile on their faces.

"Hello. How are you two doing?" Jushiro smiled as the two hugged him tightly. "I'm glad to see you both as well, but I have to go. I'll be back soon." He wiggled out of their hug and quickly headed for the Senkaimon.

~Naomi~

'Please tell me I didn't die.' She waited in the silence of her mind. 'Good. No one answered. So I must still be alive. Great. I'm going to be in pain when I wake up.' She slowly tried to move any part of her body. She wasn't sure if it worked.

"Looks like she's waking up." She heard a distant voice that she did not recognize. She tried to open her eyes, she succeeded.

She looked around at the room. She didn't recognize it, so she assumed she wasn't in 4th squad. Then where was she? She looked towards the sole other person in the room. He wore a striped bucket hat that covered his blond hair. "How are you feeling, Katsumoto-san?"

Naomi tried to sit up but found her arms unresponsive. "I can't move." She frowned as she tried to move other limbs. The only parts she suceeded in moving were her fingers and toes.

"You drained yourself quite a bit. I'm sure you'll regain mobility in a few minutes. By they way, I am Urahara Kisuke, a humble shopkeeper. Is there anything else bothering you?" Urahara was seeing if she noticed the other occupants in the room.

"How is Jushiro doing?" Naomi hoped he was okay. She had hoped the kido she had used had worked. She knew the price it cost her, it almost brought tears to her eyes.

She saw the slight disappointment on the man's face. She could feel tears prickling her eyes. "He's here, isn't he Urahara-san?"

"Yes. You can't see him, can you?" Urahara could see the sadness on the white haired Taichou's face. They were so close to each other, but worlds apart. "I have to check on the rest of the shop." Urahara got up and left the room.

"I'm sorry, Jushiro." She felt tears fall from her face. She smiled as she felt a hand wipe them away. "Seems we just can't seem to get a break." She laughed a little at her little joke. But as hard as she tried, she couldn't stop her tears.

~a few weeks later~

"Orihime-chan! Where are we going?" Naomi was having trouble keeping up with the girl in her stilettos. The orange haired girl had shown up at her apartment and told her to get dressed for a club. They were underage! How were they going to get into a club?

"I am taking you here. You are going in there with Ise-san." Orihime placed the girl next to the shinigami. "You two have fun, and make sure she gets home safely."

"Will do Orihime-san." Nanao smiled at the orange haired girl. She had been the one to suggest the get together. She was worried about her friend. "Come on Naomi. The men are already inside." Nanao led the girl to the front of the line. "Ise Nanao and Katsumoto Naomi."

Naomi was surprised the bouncer let them in. Did she look older than she was? She followed Nanao through the crowded club till they reach a table with two well dressed men at it.

The first had a fedora with a hot pink sash on it covering his waved brown hair. He wore a pair of black dress pants with a white shirt that had the top three buttons undone. The opening showed a bit of his hair that curled over his tanned chest. His face was set in a smile with a bit of scruff covering part of it. His chocolate brown eyes were drawn to the two girls walking towards them.

The second wore his snow white hair in a low ponytail. He wore black dress pants and a white shirt as well, but his only had the first button undone and had a green scarf over it. His face was set in a happy grin that caused his vibrant green eyes to spark. He looked like a god.

'Dang he looks hot. Shunsui looks okay too.' Naomi returned Jushiro's grin as she walked towards him. She was glad she chose her walkable stilettos. "Hey there." She tucked her loose hair behind her ear as she and Nanao approached the table.

"Hello ladies. Would you like something to drink?" Shunsui got up and sat Nanao down in a chair while Jushiro sat Naomi down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Vodka Tonic." Nanao winked at Shunsui. He didn't know she drank.

"Screw driver." Naomi squeaked with a childish grin. "The sweeter the better." She smiled more as she looked at everyone's surprised faces. "What?! Just because the others refuse because they are underage doesn't mean I do to. It's rather hard when you've had the life I did." She leaned on the table and pulled the sleeves of her sweater down around her wrists more.

"Okay. So that's one Vodka Tonic, one Screw Drew, another Scotch for me, and do you want another Bloody Mary?" He smiled at Jushiro teasingly.

"No. I'm fine. I'm not as much of a drinker as you." Jushiro glared at his friend with a smile. He turned to Naomi as Nanao checked her phone. "How have you been?"

"I've been better, but it think better just showed up." Naomi leaned close to Jushiro and kissed him lightly. "Let's dance." She jumped out of her chair and pulled Jushiro to the dance floor. They got to the centre as 'Teenage Dream' by Katy Perry started playing.

'This could be fun.' Naomi made use of her shoes and started dancing a bit of salsa. She twirled her hips and moved closer to Jushiro. Her eyes where locked on his.

She turned around once it got near the part of the song before it starts going fast again. Once it got slow she felt her head turn sideways and Jushiro's lip lock with hers. She could feel the sparks dance across their tongues.

The music got fast again and they started dancing together. Neither noticed that they had the dance floor all to themselves. The song ended with another kiss as the crowd applauded them.

"Well that was fun." Naomi walked off the dance floor with Jushiro's arm around her waist. They got back to the table and saw that their drinks had arrived. "When did everyone leave the dance floor?" Naomi took a fairly large sip of her drink.

"Only about half way through. It was very...sensual. I didn't know you could dance like that?" Nanao had about half of her drink left. She had been distracted while watching the two that she hadn't notice how much she had drank.

"I took ballroom when I was 8. My foster parents thought my acting out needed an outlet other than smashing windows and digging up the yard and flower beds. No one else I was around could see shinigami. So everyone thought it was me doing all the damage." Naomi took another large drink. "Blame it on the freak."

"That's terrible. Blaming stuff like that on a child." Shunsui was angry at her foster parents.

"You would be surprised at what I did do as a child. I was not a little angel." Naomi took a sip this time, she needed to pace herself. "I was almost sent to a mental institute a few times. I got out of it both times by torching my foster parent's house and going to juvenile for six months. Got nicknamed Shinigami while I was there the first time." Naomi laughed at what she had thought was just a legend as a child, but was sitting with her and drinking.

"Sounds like you went through hell." Jushiro knew it was her uncle that had caused most of her problems, but he still put a bit of blame on the humans that had wronged her.

Naomi shrugged as she unbuttoned her sweater to try and cool off.

"Why don't you take it off?" Nanao eyed the girl curiously. She had been staring at her wrists quite often.

"It's my back that's hot, but my arms are freezing." Naomi didn't want to draw attention there. Not to what she had been doing before Orihime had knocked on her door. She warped her hands around her empty glass.

"You want another?" Shunsui asked while finishing his third glass of Scotch.

"No. I don't do well with mixed drinks, and I am not I'm the mood for a beer." Naomi stretched and yawned a bit. "I think what I need is a nice soft pillow, and maybe a body pillow." She winked at Jushiro.

Everyone laughed, most of them were definitely drunk. They all got up and walked to the door. Shunsui was holding Nanao steady and Naomi was helping Jushiro. They all headed to the apartment complex.

"You guys still have the apartment?" Naomi was surprised they would keep it if they weren't going to be using it again.

"The lease is up at the end of the month. So this will be the last time we use it. Jushiro's room is that one." He pointed to one of the rooms after he had opened the door and picked Nanao up.

Naomi walked to Jushiro's room and laid him down on his futon. She smiled when he rolled onto his side and began to snore lightly. She pulled the blankets up around his neck and crept out of the room. She intended to leave without being noticed, but Shunsui stood in her way.

"Allow me to walk you home." Shunsui wanted to know what she was hiding under her sleeves.

"I live just next door. You don't have to." Naomi just wanted her bed. The alcohol was bringing up bad memories that she just wanted to get them out of her head. The bottles of vodka and rum under her sink would help with that.

"I insist." Shunsui followed her out the door and to her door. She was having trouble putting the key into the lock. "Let me." He reached over and took the key out of her hand. He easily unlocked her door and escorted her inside.

"Thank you." She took the key from him and threw them into the bowl. She sighed when he grabbed her hand and pushed her sleeve up. He had seen the faint red lines that had peeked out. "They're nothing. Just old wounds."

"No, these are fairly new. Is this why Orihime-chan suggested tonight and why she has been so worried about you? Because you've been trying to kill yourself." Shunsui looked at her face, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Do you know what happens to a soul with no reiatsu when it tries to get to Soul Society? They disappear, never to reappear or be reborn."

Naomi refused to look him in the eye. She felt like she was getting scolded. She felt him tug at her wrist and pull her into a hug. She couldn't stop herself from hugging him back.

"I care about you. Your the little sister I wish I had. And Jushiro cares about you too. When you both first met, he tried to stay away from you. He felt drawn to you and he didn't want to break your heart when he died. If you vanished, it would break his heart." Shunsui kissed the top of her head. "And mine, in case you were wondering." He smiled when he felt her laugh.

Naomi had been depressed since she lost the ability to see shinigami. She couldn't see Jushiro anymore. She hadn't known that she would vanish if she died. "Thank you, Shunsui. You're a great Onii-chan."

"Aww. Naomi-chan thinks of me as an Onii-chan! I'm so happy." He kissed her forehead again before walking to the door. "I'll make sure Jushiro visits more often." Shunsui waved as he left, hoping the girl would take care of herself and that Jushiro would survive the coming war.

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Please leave a comment or a question.


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own Bleach.  
Song: It's a Beautiful Day, by Michael Bublé

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~weeks later: Naomi~

Naomi hummed as she walked down the road. She was taking her time getting to school. She was already pending two suspensions for beating up other students. The first was the girl who was always flirting with Jushiro, she wanted to let her know he was her's and no one else could have him. The second was a boy who always tried to prank her, she pranked him back with honey, feathers and a brick. Naomi smiled remembering the boy's crying face and the girl's nose cast the next day.

Nothing could ruin her mood right now. It was a beautiful day out, and Jushiro said he would be visiting her today. She couldn't wait to see him. It had been almost a week since she had last heard from him.

"It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling...if we're drinking then I'm buying...and I know there's no denying-" Naomi stopped singing when she felt a strange shift. She looked around herself curiously. When did it get so quiet?

She looked around the corner and saw no one. She walked further down the road and saw people lying on the ground. She walked over to someone and shook her shoulder to try and wake her. "Excuse me?" No response, but she was definitely breathing.

"What is going on?" She walked to the end of the road and looked around. Everyone she saw was laying on the ground. "What the heck?" She spun around but saw nothing, till something caught her eye. A little girl running towards her, she looked scared.

Naomi ran up to the girl and wrapped her arms around her. "It's okay. It's okay. Your safe nothing is going to harm you." She was kneeling in front of the girl, she still only came up to her chin. "Everything is alright."

"The monsters are going to get us!" Naomi frowned at the girl's words. Naomi looked puzzlingly at the girl as she saw a chain attached to her chest. "We have to run!"

Naomi picked the girl up and looked around. She caught sight of a trash can being crushed. 'Not that way.' She turned and ran in the opposite direction. She was a little disappointed with her speed, but it was better than nothing and she seemed to be faster than the monster. 'Must be a Hollow.'

"Look out!" Naomi looked towards the direction the girl was pointing. She could just make out a shimmering outline. She dodged one outline, but she missed another attack that followed the first.

"Gah!" Naomi felt it's hands rip through her left leg. She looked down and was glad to see it was still attached, but she could see bone. "Can you run?" She set the girl down and looked her in the eye, she nodded. "Good. Then run and don't look back." She watched as the girl ran, while keeping an eye on the shimmering outline.

She stood on her right leg to take all of the weight off of her left, she could barely stay conscious through the pain. She watched as all of the Hollows began moving closer to her. 'So much for staying alive.'

She closed her eyes and waited for the Hollows to attack, but they never did. She opened her eyes to see what was going on, she saw them...suffocating? 'What the-' suddenly the pressure that she had thought was normal increased dramatically. She fell to her knees and didn't notice the pain from her leg. She saw some of the Hollows disappear from the substantial pressure.

'I'm going to die. This is going to crush me.' She fell down and laid on the pavement. She couldn't move, but she could hear something like footsteps getting closer from behind her.

"If ya get any closer she's gonna turn inta a pancake." Naomi didn't know who was speaking, she had never heard him before.

"I'm just curious as to why there were Hollows near her." Naomi could have vomited from the sound of his voice. His was worse to her than the girls at school. "How interesting. I do not sense anything from her, yet the Hollows seemed interested."

'Can't...breath.' Naomi couldn't even gasp for air. It felt like something was filling her lungs, and she couldn't do anything about it. She felt something run down her cheek as her sight faded into black. 'I'm sorry...Jushiro.'

~Jushiro~

Jushiro sat at his desk and filled out paperwork. He didn't notice the worried looks from his subordinates. Nor that he hadn't left the office in since he had been cleared from the hospital, for his chest wound from the war, yesterday. He hadn't even bothered to shower, just tied his hair back.

"Um...Taichou?" Jushiro looked up to see Kuchiki Rukia standing in the doorway. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just fine." Jushiro returned to the paperwork on his desk.

Rukia walked up to his desk and laid a hand on his. "You should take a break. You've been working none stop for a day now. Weren't you planning on going to Katsumoto-san's funeral today?" She hoped he wouldn't break down like he did when he had heard about Naomi's death.

Jushiro stopped and stared at the paper. He didn't even know what it was for. He wasn't paying much attention to what he was doing nowadays. He was too heart broken. Naomi had been in the area that Soul Society had transferred to to outskirts of the Rukongai. And she had been in a path that Aizen had taken through the town. He had crushed her with his reiatsu.

Jushiro placed his head on his desk, and not to gently but he didn't care. It didn't compare to the pain his heart was going through. "I don't know if I can. I don't think I can survive if I accept that she's gone." He felt tears run off his face, causing his few loose hairs to stick to his face.

"I'm sure she would want you to keep going, and that she would want you to be happy. At least, that's what everyone else is saying that she would say. Most of the Taichous and Fukutaichous are going." Rukia didn't want to pressure her Taichou to go, but she wanted him to at least get out of the office.

Jushiro sighed and tried to blow his hair out of his face. He lifted his head and pushed the wet strands away from his face. "You're right. I should go. I'm not the only one hurt by her death." He got up and walked to his barrack to change, and bathe. He smelled a bit on the funky side.

He stepped out of his barrack in a fresh uniform and nearly ran into Shunsui. His friend was also dressed in his usual attire, but had one of his less vibrant pink kimonos on with a sad smile on his face. "It's good to see you aren't moping as much as I thought." Both men noted the red rimed eyes the other one had.

Jushiro hugged his friend and cried softly. "Why did I have to promise I would visit? She always takes the longer path to school when I say I am going to visit. That path was the one she was found on. It's my fault...my fault." He spoke into his friend's shoulder as he cried.

Shunsui hugged his friend back, he had never seen him so broken before. "It's not your fault, it's Aizen's. She had no reiatsu and he had no reason to approach her. He only walked up to her then turn back and walked down a different street. It's his fault and his alone."

Both men stood as they both let their tears leak out of their eyes. Both had lost someone precious to them.

Jushiro pulled away from his friend and wiped his eyes. "We should go." He shunpoed to the Senkaimon with Shunsui following behind him. He looked up at the sunny sky and sighed. No amount of sunshine could lift his grey mood, or erase the indigo eyes from behind his eyelids.

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Please leave a comment or a question.


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Bleach.

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~World of the Living~

Rain fell as a small group gathered in the Karaukura cemetery. Any normal person passing by would only see about a dozen or so standing on one side of a black coffin. Others that had a high amount of reiatsu would not see the coffin, but instead would see a large group of white clothed figures.

No one seemed to want to say a word. They all just looked at the coffin, and thought about what it meant. They had lost a friend. They may not have known her for long, but she had left an impression on their hearts.

The coffin was lowered into the ground slowly as tears mixed with the dirt at their feet and the rain falling from the grey sky. Jushiro couldn't pull his gaze away from the coffin. He didn't want to believe that she was gone, never to be seen again. He felt Shunsui place a hand on his shoulder, he placed his hand over his friends.

A girl with orange hair stepped forward holding a white rose. "I never thought I would be doing this. You were always so gentle and strong. I never thought this would happen, but at least you didn't do this to yourself. If you had, I would feel terrible for letting it happen. I may not have done what a friend should have while you were here, but I tried my best. I'll miss you, Naomi-chan." Orihime dropped the flower into the grave and moved back to stand beside Tatsuki and the rest of Ichigo's friends.

Yamamoto stepped up to the side of the grave with his Fukutaichou following close behind him. "You sacrificed much for us. We will not forget you." The old Soutaichou dropped a chrysanthemum into her grave and stepped away. His Fukutaichou dropped a flower of the same type and bowed before walking away as well. The two left the graveyard in silence.

Sui-Feng and Omaeda stepped up next. Sui-Feng just dropped a small bundle of Pulsatilla into the grave and walked away. Omaeda stepped up and frowned a little at a similar bundle in his hand. "I was looking forward to seeing you around Seireitei. You were such a sweet girl. You reminded me of my sister, I'll miss you." He dropped the flowers and moved on before he broke down crying.

Kira walked up to the grave alone. "The squad send their sadness. They thought you were really nice, and were hoping you would visit again. Guess that will have to wait." He dropped a pair of Marigolds into the grave and slowly walked away. His frame was visibly shaking.

Unahana walked up slowly with Isane close behind her. "You will be sorely missed, Naomi-san." The Taichou dropped a Bellflower into the grave. "Take your time, Isane."

Isane tried to hold back her tears, but they refused to stay back. "I...I...I...I'll...I'll miss you...Naomi-san. You...you were...so...nice." Isane couldn't say anymore. She leaned onto her Taichou as she dropped her flower into the grave and walked away while sobbing quietly.

There was no one there for 5th squad. They had never met the girl, and no one from 5th was on any shape to make an appearance either.

Byakuya and Renji stepped up next. Byakuya dropped a Camellia into the grave. "Thank you." The Taichou walked away with out another word.

Renji stepped up and twirled his flower in his hand. "You were strong, but even the strong can fall. Guess I never saw you as one of them. Farewell, Naomi-san." Renji let the flower fall as he walked away trying to keep his face free of emotion, but he wasn't as skilled as his Taichou at hiding away his emotions.

Sajin and Iba stepped up next. Both had spend quite a bit of time with Naomi while she was in Seireitei, they felt close to her. "You shall be missed greatly, little one." The large Taichou dropped an Iris into the girl's grave and bowed. His Fukutaichou repeated what he had done. The two moved on with sad expressions on their faces.

Shunsui squeezed his friend's shoulder before making his way to the side of the grave with Nanao. "Guess I'm not such a great Onii-chan after all. Ne, Naomi-chan?" Shunsui didn't stop his tears from falling. "I'll miss you, Naomi-chan." Shunsui dropped a Bird of Paradise into Naomi's grave.

Nanao didn't try to stop her tears either. She had grown close to the girl. They had gone shopping and hung out almost as often as Jushiro had gone to visit. She would miss her close friend, her best friend. "Goodbye, Naomi-chan." Nanao dropped her flower and left the grave side while holding her head up and crying her eyes out. Shunsui followed behind her in about the same manner.

Hisagi stepped up next. He hadn't met the girl, but that was his own fault. "Sorry you didn't get to meet 9th squad. They chewed me out afterwards for not letting you visit. I wish I had met you, Katsumoto-san." He dropped a a few White Poppies into her grave and walked away.

Toshiro walked up with a wailing Rangiku. Toshiro dropped a Daffodil and bowed before walking away. Rangiku smiled sadly down at the coffin. "We never got to go drinking with each other. I was hoping you and I could figure out how to drag Nanao-chan with us, but it looks like that wasn't meant to be." She dropped her flower. "Farewell, Naomi-chan." Rangiku walked away with a sad smile and tears on her face.

Zaraki and Yachiru stepped up next. Yachiru dropped two bundles of Yarrow into the grave. "Guess you won't be...able to play with...Ken-chan. Thank you...for playing with him when...you did. I'll...miss not having sweets with you. All...of those things we had planned...they won't happen now. They may...not have happened anyways...but at least then...there was a chance. Even...if it was small there was a...chance. I'll miss-" Yachiru couldn't finish speaking. She was crying too hard. She buried her head into Zaraki's shoulder to muffle the sound.

Zaraki felt the same sadness his Fukutaichou did, he just didn't show it. "Goodbye, Katsumoto. You were a great fighter, and I was looking forward to that fight of ours. I guess it will have to wait." Zaraki walked away with the sobbing girl still burying her face into his shoulder.

No one from 12 had bothered to show up. Kurotsuchi had called the event 'unimportant'. This had earned him quite a few glares and threats sent his way. But Nemu had expressed her condolences to Jushiro personally, she had met Naomi and thought of her as a kind person. Jushiro was glad for the Fukutaichou's words.

Jushiro stepped up to the grave. He sank to his knees and spun the bundle of Snowdrops in his hand slowly. "I miss you a lot. I may not have known you for long, but I feel like I've known you forever. You know how to make me smile and I can't get enough of your smile. The way it makes your eyes sparkle and the little laugh that always went with your smile. I miss it all. I miss you, Naomi."

Her face flashed through his mind. He closed his eyes tightly and renewed his tears. "It hurts. It's hurts more than when I was sick. I can't describe the pain my heart is going through. I can't even compare it to anything. I've never felt like this." Jushiro focused on the small flowers in his hand. "I love you Naomi. I think I have since the moment I met you. I will always love you." He let the Snowdrop fall atop of the pile of flowers. 'If there is a chance you are out there Naomi, please be happy.' He got up and walked away from the grave and the love he had found, and lost.

~a field in Soul Society~

"Onee-chan!...Onee-chan! Oka-san is looking for you!" A girl with lilac coloured hair turned to a younger looking girl with brown hair running towards her.

The older girl picked up the younger and spun around with her. "Has Oto-san come home yet?" The two girls laughed as they walked towards a little shack nestled between some trees.

"Not yet, but he should be back soon. Any luck remembering your name?" The girl looked up at her older sister.

"I haven't yet, Yuki-chan. But I will remember eventually." The older girl carried her sister into the house. "What did you need me for, Oka-san?" She smiled at the woman in the kitchen. The woman had found her when she was wandering around after waking up in a field. She didn't know who or where she was, but this lady had given her clothes, food, somewhere to sleep, and love.

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay. Dinner is almost done. Can you two go get washed up so that only Oto-san has to when he gets home?" The woman smiled at her daughters. She was glad the two were happy together.

"Yep!" Yuki ran to the bathroom while dragging her sister behind her.

'Who am I?' She tried to think of who she was before waking up in the field, but all that went through her head was green. Green eyes that had a spark in them, and white. White hair that blew out in the breeze and smelled like a summer storm. She smiled thinking of it. 'Who has those eyes and that hair? Who am I thinking about? Why does my chest feel tight when I think about him?'

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I thought I would try not being so heartless and cruel. We'll see how that goes. Please leave a question or a comment.


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own Bleach.  
Song: Safe & Sound, by Taylor Swift(feat. The Civil Wars)

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~5 years later~

Jushiro sat at his desk doing paperwork. That was about all he could do nowadays. The only time he did something else was when either his friend, Shunsui, took him out drinking, or his Fukutaichou, Rukia, kicked him out of the office. There wasn't much he wanted to do. He was too broken to do anything, but survive.

"Ukitake-Taichou." Rukia knocked on the door to get his attention. She smiled sadly at his red eyes and unkept hair."A mission just came in. It requests a Taichou go and check on a large unidentified Reiatsu out on the Rukongai 5th district." She walked up to his desk and placed the single sheet report on the desk. She then walked behind him and worked out the knots in his hair. She finished by putting into a tie.

Jushiro looked over the sheet of paper. It was just a checking mission, but he didn't feel up to doing anything. He looked at the reiatsu identifier. He frowned and read it in detail.

"Taichou?" Rukia didn't understand what he was so interested in, but she was happy. He was showing aspects of his old self. 'What was in the report that I missed?'

Jushiro's eyes widened as he remembered why the identifier was so familiar. "I'll be back after checking on the reiatsu. Keep the squad functional while I'm gone!" Jushiro ran out of the office and straight towards the southern gate.

He ran past his friend who joined him running to see what he was up to. "Why so active so early, Jushiro?" Shunsui didn't know why his friend was running. He was worried he had finally had enough with living without Naomi.

"It's 3 in the afternoon! Hardly early morning." Jushiro continued running while holding a conversation. He ran through the south gate and continued straight towards 5th district. He was glad Rukia had tied his hair back, it would be dragging him back and he want to get to the location quickly. "I got a mission to check on an unidentified reiatsu. I'm sure Nanao saw the report. Why are you following me? Doesn't the Soutaichou have important paperwork he has to finish?"

"I was worried about you. You don't leave your office that often anymore. And when you do, you end up in 4th." Shunsui remembered the first few times it happened. They were terrible and heart wrenching.

"Well that isn't going to happen again." He saw the confused look Shunsui had on his face. "I'll tell you-"

"KYA!" Bothe me picked up their pace. They found two girls standing in a group of raged looking men. The smaller one was hugging the taller one while crying. The taller one had a cut on her arm, but other wise unharmed.

"Come on sweet heart. Just have a bit of fun with us. We won't hurt-" The man stopped when others joined the centre of the circle. He held up the knife he was using and charged at the pink clad man. "Who the hell are-" he was cut off by a fist to his face.

A heavy killing aura settled over the aura. Shunsui turned to the other men in the circle. "Leave now. Before I change my mind about killing all of you." Shunsui left no emotion in his voice and glared at them fiercely.

Jushiro glared at them with an equal amount of malice.

Once the men were gone, Jushiro and Shunsui turned to the two girls behind them. The tall girl was kneeling and had the smaller girl in her arms. The small girl had long brown hair tied into a braid. She wore a simple pink yukata and no shoes. The taller girl had short lilac hair that came up to about her chin. She wore a blue yukata and no shoes either. Her left arm stayed limp on her side as blood dripped off of her finger tips.

"I'll heal that for you." Shunsui knelt beside the two girls and lifted a reiatsu covered hand to her wounded arm. He smiled at them to reassure them and began healing her arm. "You're very brave for standing against those men, but you should know your own limitations."

"I don't need you to tell me what I can and can't do." Jushiro was surprised by the strength in her voice. "I'm stronger than I look." Her indigo eyes flashed with a strength that he found familiar to him. His heart almost stopped when she turned her eyes to him. "What are you..."

Silenced stretched on for minutes.

The little girl looked between the white haired man and the purple haired woman. "Onee-chan? Do you know him? Does he know your name?"

"You two are sisters?" Shunsui spoke to the little girl while his friend was still distracted by the purple haired woman.

The girl nodded. "Yep. I'm Yuki and this is my older sister. Oka-san found her and brought her home, but she doesn't know her name." Yuki's smile that she gave to the man in the pink yukata faded. "But Oka-san and Oto-san aren't here anymore." Yuki started sniffling again. "Oka-san...Oto-san...their all gone.." Yuki buried her face in her sisters neck and sobbed loudly.

The purple haired girl snapped out of her trance and began comforting her sister. "It's okay Yuki-chan, it's okay. Nothing is going to hurt you." She hugged her and rocked back and forth to comfort her. She closed her eyes and began to sing softly. "Just close your eyes...the sun is going down...you'll be alright...no one can hurt you now...come morning light...you and I'll be safe...and...sound." She continued to sing till the girl stopped shaking.

"What happened to your family?" Shunsui asked while giving the nameless girl a sweet smile. Her short hair was cute, but he thought she would look better with long hair.

She looked at him and widened her eyes as if she recognized him. "Um..." She seemed to be confused and a bit flustered. "Onii...chan?" Both men stared at her in surprise. They felt a pressure beginning to build up and fluctuate wildly. "Yuki-chan. You need to let go."

"NO!" Yuki clung to her neck more.

"Okay! Tickle monster." Shunsui tickled the girl's side. She let go of the girl's neck with a shrill of laughter and was carried away in Shunsui's arms kicking and screaming.

"You should leave to. I can't control what happens when I lose control. I don't want-" She was surprised when the white haired man placed a hand on her shoulder. She finally knew who he was. "Jushiro. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't, Naomi." He hugged her close to him and kissed her forehead. "I've missed you. I thought you were gone." He felt her reiatsu begin to settle and moderate.

~Naomi~

Naomi wrapped her arms around Jushiro and buried her face into his robes. She breathed in the familiar scent of a summer thunder storm. 'Perfect.'

She pulled away gently from him till they were looking at each other. Naomi leaned towards him till their lips touched. She moved her hands to his neck as he parted his lips to their kiss.

Jushiro couldn't explain how he felt, it was too much almost. Here in his arms, was Naomi. Her scent of fresh cut grass and summer air filled his nostrils. Her sweet lips pressed against his only strengthened his resolve that she was here, and she was in his arms.

He pulled her onto his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. He deepened the kiss...*COUGH*

Both looked towards the tall man standing over them in a pink kimono. "I hate to spoil a beautiful moment...but we have pressing matters to attend to. Namely the person glaring daggers into Jushiro's head."

Jushiro frowned at his friend as he looked around them. He easily caught sight of a blond figure with a thick killing aura around him. "Is that..."

"Soka-baka? What a lovely surprise." Jushiro nearly laughed out loud at the amount of sarcasm Naomi put into her statement.

"Hime-sama." Soka bowed to Naomi while still glaring at the shinigami. "I have come to take you to your grandfather's palace. We are to begin training you to be the next Soul Queen."

Naomi brushed herself off as she stood. "I have no powers. I have lost my inheritance. I will not be going with you." She gave him a flat look telling him she was not changing her mind.

"You have only resealed them. Over time they shall return and you will be able to reuse them." Soka caught her look, but ignored it. "Please Hime-sama." He gave her a pleading look as he stretched out his hand.

Silence stretched for minutes.

"Is Onee-chan leaving?" Naomi looked towards the little girl in Shunsui's arms. The little girl looked like she was about to cry, again.

Naomi walked towards her and took her from his arms. She hugged her and kissed her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere. Soka-baka was just leaving." She turned back to the Royal Guard member. "Give my grandfather my regards."

Jushiro smiled at her and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

"He thought you might say that." Soka snapped his fingers. 'Just like her mother.'Nothing seemed to happen. "Have a good life." Soka turned and walked away from the group.

None of them waited for him to be out of sight. They all just turned and walked away.

"So what's happened while I've been gone?" Naomi smiled happily as she walked between the two shinigami. She was glad to have her memories back. "First. How did I get my memories back? Aren't souls suppose to have their memories erased when they arrive?"

"Yes, most souls do get their memories erased, but souls with a lot of reiatsu tend to keep their memories. For you it's probably a case of amnesia over having your memories erased." Jushiro still had an arm around Naomi's waist. He wasn't letting go anytime soon. "We should probably head back. Nanao is probably searching frantically for the Soutaichou. Ne, Shunsui?"

Shunsui smiled and sweat dropped when he thought of what Nanao might do to him. "Yeah. She did say I should tell her when I was planning on going for an outing. I'm sure she won't do anything too terrible." He doubted he was going to get a painless punishment. It was probably going to be extra paperwork.

"Onii-chan is a Soutaichou? What's a Soutaichou?" Yuki looked up at Naomi then at Shunsui.

Shunsui took the girl from Naomi's arms. "I am a Soutaichou. It means I have a lot of people to take care of, and lots of papers to fill out. It's not a fun job, but my lovely Nanao-chan helps me out a lot." He smiled happily at her as she grinned back. "Why don't we go on ahead and leave these two to catch up?"

"Yes! I want to meet Nanao-chan!" Yuki hugged his neck tightly. "Bye Onee-chan."

Yuki and Shunsui waved as the Soutaichou stepped into shunpo and left Naomi and Jushiro alone. They had a lot to catch up on, but they had the rest of their lives to do it in.

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Please leave a comment or a question. Just to let y'all know, that's the end. I know it's a bit cliffy, but get used to it. Basically you can think what you want of how the story goes after this, because that's where it ends. Jushiro and Naomi are back together, and Yuki is most likely going to be their adoptive daughter. Happy? Any other questions you have, feel free to post them and I will send you a reply.


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